Imagines and One-Shots (Book Three)

How to Save a Life (Ashton Irwin) *

i would've written this for calum but i've already written dr calum soooooo soz

Warnings: Mention of break-in, gunshot wound

~

Working in one of the busiest hospitals in the city kept emergency room doctors like Ashton grounded every single minute he was on the job. He'd seen people die with loved ones at their side and with no one in sight. He'd delivered numerous babies that just couldn't wait for the OB/GYN to get there. He'd treated family members and friends who absolutely refused to trust anybody but him.

And he was fine with all of it. He was fine with it because that was his job and it was incredibly challenging and rewarding and time-consuming, and he loved it.

But if there was one thing Ashton loved more than the job, it was you.

You two met when he was just starting working toward his medical license. His best friend Calum was your college roommate Mali's brother, so you and Ashton had grown quite accustomed with each other when the siblings invited you to their place for holidays and birthdays. You and Ashton went your separate ways after graduating from your respective schools, but you always made sure to stay in touch. So when he heard you were moving back to Sydney after a few years of being away and were looking for a roommate, he immediately offered you a room in his apartment.

Ashton lived in a relatively safe neighborhood – the worst crime that had ever happened there was once a few years ago when a dollar store was robbed after closing – so you felt confident in agreeing to live with him. It was close enough to your work so that you'd be able to walk – you hated driving in Sydney – and there was always something to do on the weekends. Living there made you feel at home; It made you feel safe...

Until one night, while Ashton was at work, it didn't anymore.

It was 1:48am – not even two hours into his shift – when Ashton's pager went off with an incoming patient. The message on the pager read '26YO F, GUNSHOT, CHEST', and the doctor sprung up from his chair. He tossed his half-eaten sandwich into the trashcan as he bolted out of the room, opting for the stairs instead of the elevator, as he ran up to the trauma ward. He got there just in time to see the patient get wheeled in, not at all ready for who was lying on the gurney – not at all ready for you to be the one the page was about.

Ashton's shoes squeaked on the linoleum floor, his hand flying up to grab the door frame beside him in an attempt to keep himself from collapsing right then and there. Only one person looked away from you and toward the door, stepping toward Ashton.

"Ashton, go," Calum ordered, "Get out of here."

"No!" he practically shouted, shoving his best friend away from him, "I need to-"

"You need to leave, Ashton," he shook his head, "You're not in the right mindset and if Y/N's gonna pull through this, she needs someone on their A-game, and that's not you right now." Ashton opened his mouth to protest again, but Calum ignored the motion. "Sara!" he called out, grabbing the attention of one of the paramedics who had brought you in before she left the room, "Take Ash to the break room!"

She immediately did as she was asked, putting her hand on Ashton's back and leading the disoriented doctor out of the trauma ward. No words were said between the two as they walked away from the chaos, but Sara knew words weren't coming to Ashton right now.

She sat Ashton down at the small table in the break room, grabbing him a bottle of water from the fridge. She almost had to forcibly give it to him herself, but he eventually took it – albeit with shaky hands – and took a sip on his own.

"Ash," the paramedic said gently, sitting in the chair across from him and putting her hand on his forearm so he'd look at her, "She's gonna be fine; Calum's not gonna give up on her."

"What-" Ashton cleared his throat, but his words still came out strained. "-What happened to her?" Sara simply sighed softly. She was sure Calum wouldn't want him to know just yet – at least not until you were stable – but she also knew Ashton wasn't going to let her leave that room without answers.

"She called 911 at 1:30 saying someone broke into your place," she replied honestly, "She did everything right – she stayed quiet and found a hiding spot and gave as much information as she could – but... Dispatch told us he heard three gunshots and that Y/N wasn't answering him after that..."

"Th-Three...?" he breathed out.

"It's not gonna make you feel any better, but we only found one entry wound on her," Sara shook her head, "I saw the other two in the wall behind her while we were putting her on the stretcher."

"Where...?" he cleared his throat in a desperate attempt to keep himself from breaking down in front of someone.

"Ashton, I don't think-"

"Where'd she get shot, Sara?" his voice cracked.

"Left lung," she answered truthfully, "Right next to her heart."

Ashton didn't say anything after that – he just put his elbows on the table and laid his face in his palms. Sara sat there with him in silence for a moment before sighing, figuring she should leave him alone. She stood up from her seat, patting Ashton on the shoulder just before walking out of the break room. 

And when the door closed behind her, Ashton finally let go.

~

Your POV; Four days later

You squinted your eyes as you blinked rapidly to get used to the light. You were confused for a moment as you looked around the room, wondering why you were in the hospital, before you remembered what happened. You tilted your head down toward your chest, looking at the bandage peeking out from underneath your gown, and finally noticing the hand holding yours beside your hip. Your eyes then met Ashton's as he breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"Hey, pretty girl," Ashton choked out, bringing your hand up to his mouth and kissing it, "How are you feeling?" You barely smiled at the nickname – you felt anything but pretty right now – and loosely held his hand.

"Tired," you whispered hoarsely, "And sore."

"I'll have Calum give you more pain meds," he promised you. He sighed slightly, moving his free hand to your face, pushing your hair out of your eyes. "You have no idea how scared I've been," he swallowed thickly, "I thought you were gonna die..."

"C'mon, Ash," you grinned again, "If I die, who's going to annoy you for the rest of your life?" Ashton couldn't help but chuckle no matter how badly he didn't want to.

"You got shot, princess," he reminded you, "Think I'm allowed to be worried this one time." You squeezed his hand affectionately.

"They catch the guy?" you asked.

"Yeah," he kissed your knuckles again, "They caught him hiding in someone's shed while you were in surgery."

"You didn't have to..."

"Even if I wanted to, they wouldn't have let me," he admitted with another soft laugh, "Calum took over when he realized it was you... Knew I wouldn't have been able to handle it if I couldn't sa-" Ashton cleared his throat again when his voice cracked, unable to finish his sentence.

You looked at him with a fond expression, moving your other hand up toward him. Your palm rested on his skin, your thumb running back and forth along his cheekbone. He leaned into your touch, happy you were still with him.

"You save me every day, Ash," you whispered, feeling him smile into your hand.

~

inspiration: https://achoaticmess.tumblr.com/post/180891308985/fuck-maybe-for-the-hospital-au-dr-hood-getting