xix. white coat
10.01

Atlas Lee-Sunny was a good person. He cared about others, he chose to be optimistic some of the time, he had a good heart. Atlas loved, he cared, he smiled and baked cookies for the nurses. Atlas was well, Atlas.

But when Derek tried to steal his white coat, after a moment of steamy fun in the on call room, Atlas narrowed his eyes and glared until Derek slowly handed the coat back.

That was his white coat. He earned that fair and square. He worked so hard to have it, from late night studying to all nighters at the hospital, to saving lives. He earned it. It was his, he'd be dammed if he let anyone touch it.

"Have you heard from Webber?" Derek questioned, his voice a little scratchy. He was supposed to have a quick meeting with the man about his hours, wanting a few less so he could focus on his children and family — don't forget the dogs!

"No." Atlas shook his head. He hadn't, not lately anyways, last he had, was before Meredith had given birth. "He told me before Mer had her baby that he needed to check on the back up generator? Or maybe it was something else in the basement."

Derek hummed as he stepped closer towards the door. Pausing, he leaned forward and placed a kiss to his husbands lips, parting, he smiled. "Love you, baby."

Atlas grinned like a puppy who met their forever home for the first time, an imaginary tail wagging. "Love you too, Der."

Atlas leaves the room, his husband following behind a minute later so people don't see them leave together — not that they're ashamed of what they're doing, but just because not everyone needs to know when they sneak away.

They go separate ways. Derek towards the emergency room where he's being paged by his fellow, Grayson Morris. Atlas towards the basement to see what was taking Richard Webber so long, because why do the lights keep flickering, even after they've been turned back on? Atlas is no electrician, and neither is Richard, so what makes him think they could do anything ? — we'll they can both hold a scalpel with steady hands, what's the difference with a screw driver?

The door swings open, and Atlas lets out a gasp as his gaze lands on the sight in front of him. Resisting the urge to run towards, Atlas pulls out his phone and dials Meredith, whom he knows would answer.

"Hello?" Meredith's voice comes through the small speaker on his phone. "Is everything okay, Atlas?"

"No! I'm in the basement and I need help, Webber and Brooks is here, we — I — they need help, Mer." Atlas speaks quickly as she kneels as close as he can to the edge before the water, where he could lean slightly to see if he could touch one of the two. "They're both breathing."

"What's happened?" Atlas heard Christina's voice comes through the speaker, and he sighs in relief that someone else is there who can run out of the room and page someone to help him. "Atlas?"

"They've been electrocuted." Atlas feels his hands shaking in the moment, something he hates that he can't control. He goes to touch Richard, but stops, he isn't sure what could happen to him if there's still electricity flowing through the man. "C, we need help."

"She's on her way." Meredith assured Atlas, worry evident in her voice as she speaks. "Do you want me to stay on the line?"

"Can you, uh, figure out their medical proxies?" Atlas eyes the white coat on Richard, burnt in some areas beyond repair. He only hugs his closer to his body, if that's even possible. "Awe, Mer, his white coat is ruined."

"I'm on it, and it's okay Atlas, we can get him a new one." Meredith sounds distracted, and that's because she is, she's busy texting one of the administrative nurses, who would be able to help her get the information she needed. "Christina should be there any second —"

Atlas whirled around when the door opened again and in stepped Christina first with a handful of people following. "She's here."

"We have to turn the power off, temporarily." Someone stated as they wheeled a gurney into the room.

Owen followed into the room, a pair of rubber booths in one hand and gloves in the other. He shook his shoes off before someone could even look for the power switch, stuffing his feet into boots that looked one size too small, and stepping into the water. "I'll hand him towards you — use the extra gloves okay."

Atlas nodded and stuffed his shaky hands into the yellow gloves — he should have paid more attention in the electricity unit in junior high science , he would have known to ask Christina to grab these things, but it seemed like Owen knew too. "Slowly, right?

Owen nodded and placed his hands under Heather Brooks armpits and pulled her upwards so she could be dragged out of the water. Atlas wondered how he remained so calm -- probably the army, he figured. Gosh he felt so stupid as he helped put Heather Brooks on the gurney and then watched her be wheeled away.

"Atlas, a little help?" Owen spoke, which startled Atlas who turned around and helped Owen pull Richard out of the water and onto the gurney. Atlas followed behind the others as they wheeled Richard towards the elevator, and he waited behind with Christina.

"Are you okay, Atlas?" Christina spoke softly, reaching out and placing her hand on his shoulder.

Atlas hummed and he pressed the button to have the elevator come down, "Yeah, just shocked me."

He'll definitely bring this up with his therapist.

╚═ ☆ ═╝

Atlas steps behind the curtain and gives a warm smile to the patient who sits in the bed on their phone. "Hi, I'm Doctor. Lee-Sunny, but if it makes you more comfortable you can just call me Atlas."

The man looks up from his phone, a small quirk of the corner of his lips as he smiles back to the doctor. "I'm Reese Briar, after Reese Witherspoon. My parents --" Reese let out a cough that had Atlas frowning as he unraveled his stethoscope, and went too listen to his patients breathing. "-- thought I would be a girl."

Atlas gave the man a small chuckle, mostly masking the concern he had. "I think Reese is nice,"

The patient coughed again. "Do you know about the old lady, she's my neighbour. She cooked me spaghetti once."

"I'll make sure to check. But I'm gonna send you your to CT, chances are you've just got some pressure on your chest from your injuries, but I'd like to rule everything out." Atlas gives a smile once again before he backed away and starts to scribble in Reese's chart. He hands it over to a nurse behind the counter, asking politely to book a CT for the patient.

"Atlas Peter Lee-Sunny-Shepherd." Someone spoke softly and Atlas knew right away who it was.

"Hi momma." He opened his arms and stepped towards his mom, who returned the action. "Why did no one call me to tell me my grandson was born?"

Atlas grimaced. "Could we blame it on the rain?"

Lilla Lee shook her head but smiled none the less. "No you can't. Now, I know you're busy, but is there anyone who can show me to where my other son and daughter-in-law is?"

Atlas glanced around, the emergency room was much more relaxed than it had been, but he still had a few patients he needed to see. But there stood Grayson Morris, who would no doubt show Lilla to where she needed to be — considering she helped raise him when his own parents were away for work. "Absolutely, Doctor. Morris can show you — Doctor. Morris!"

Grayson whirled around, eyes going wide and a very happy smile making its way onto his face. "Momma Lee!"

Happy reunions for those two — all well Heather Brooks mother was being told that her daughter had suffered life threatening injuries and Cathrine Avery was yelling at everyone for not informing her of Richard's condition earlier.

Atlas wanted the day to end. He was ready for a nap.