Fly With Me | ✓

40

trigger warning: sexual harrassment, groping

*

Everleigh loved nursing. There was no denying it. The science, helping people. Being able to make something of a difference in the world.

"Excuse me," she said, for about the fifth time in the span of her last fifteen minutes, "please take your hand off me."

"Sorry, sweetheart, didn't realize."

But if one more old man placed his hand on her ass while she was being forced to give him a sponge bath, she was going to do something that got her fired. It wasn't even a matter of firing, actually, it was probably getting her removed from her program entirely. What was worse was that it wasn't the first one of the day who had done it, and it was meant to be her last patient of her twelve hour shift. It was supposed to be something easy to do rather than, say, do laps around the hospital and take people's blood.

Everleigh would've taken sore feet and aching shoulders from pushing that cart all day than any more creepy old men an inch from death.

The next squeeze that happened was enough for her to take a step away and talk to her supervisor. She had been wanting to do more work on her own for her practicum.

"It was an accident, dear."

"Someone else will be here in a moment," Everleigh said, making her way out of the restroom.

She looked around before her eyes landed on her supervisor, a few steps away and talking to a receptionist.

"Hey," Everleigh said, walking over. "Can I switch patients? Someone needs to finish this bath. Um. It's been fifteen minutes and I can't—"

"Is he grabbing your ass?" the supervisor asked.

"I—" Everleigh faltered. "Yeah."

"Christ almighty." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yup. Get out of there. I got you." As he walked into the restroom, he started talking louder. "Ralph, what the heck, man? I thought we were past this—"

"Leigh?"

Everleigh turned. "Oh my God, hi!"

It had to have been Stevie's influence that she buried Lennon in a hug.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Lennon's hand tapped the back of Everleigh's shoulders. Rubbed gently when Everleigh didn't let go.

There was surely something to be said that Everleigh felt small in Lennon's arms when she was a head and shoulders taller than her. Everleigh hugged her a little tighter.

"Everleigh?"

"No."

"Is he not helping you?"

"Not particularly." Everleigh took a deep breath. "I mean, kind of—"

"You don't have to say yes."

"No."

Lennon gently pulled away and led her away from where residents could see her. Allowed herself to be taken, sat down.

"What's going on?"

"How are you here?"

Everleigh didn't believe in guardian angels until that moment. Lennon was always there when she needed it. Silently handed her a granola bar. Everleigh nibbled at it. She'd been getting better at nibbling at granola bars. Nibbling at food Maverick shoved in front of her around when a mealtime usually was for a person who could stand to look at themselves in a mirror.