#Open heart fanfiction

[liaromancewriter]

Winter Wonderland

Premise: Cassie and Ethan enjoy the holiday decorations around town, leading to a candid conversation about their relationship.

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. Fluff. Words: 1,475

A/N: This is set during the Secret Dating phase in Lia Land. Submission for @choicesholidays Winter 2024 and @choicesjanuary2025 prompt "hot chocolate:

Cassie Valentine discreetly glanced at her wristwatch beneath the table, wondering if there was still a chance to salvage her evening plans.

She had already changed into street clothes an hour ago and was ready to clock out when she received a page to report to the Diagnostics Team office. Dr. Ramsey had been clear from the start. The team’s schedule was unpredictable, and all members had to forego time off as needed.

As the latest and the most junior member, Cassie had to flex more than others since she was juggling a tough residency and diagnostics fellowship. Still, there was an upside to all the time spent at work—she got to do it with her boyfriend.

Not that anyone else knew the delectable Ethan Ramsey was hers, she mused with secret amusement. She knew, and that was all that mattered.

She side-eyed Ethan at the front of the conference table, facing the videoconference screen she hadn’t known existed until today. His eyes were alive with curiosity and interest as they consulted with a colleague in California. The virtual consult would determine if the team was required on-site for the diagnosis.

Cassie wouldn’t mind a couple of days of sunshine. Winter had Boston firmly in its grip. Of course, there was something magical about walking through a winter wonderland during the holiday season. Twinkling lights strung on palm trees didn’t have the same appeal as snow-dusted oak trees.

“Thank you, Dr. Amherst. We’ll review the patient file and get back to you tomorrow.”

Ethan wrapped up the call, and Cassie refocused her attention on the job at hand. She really hoped tomorrow didn’t mean they would be working late into the night. But, with this team, you never knew.

“I don’t know about the rest of you,” Baz said, stretching his arms, “but I could use a break before we work on the diagnosis.”

“I agree,” June said. “I’d rather come in early and approach the case with fresh eyes.”

Cassie held her breath in anticipation. Ethan seemed to hesitate, but then he nodded in agreement.

“Let’s pick this up tomorrow morning. Not much else we can do today.”

Baz and June wasted no time gathering their things and heading out. Cassie wasn’t far behind, but she stopped when she saw Ethan sit down at his desk and flip open the patient file.

“It’s late, Ethan,” she said, not hiding her exasperation. “Are you really planning to keep working?”

“I just want to go over things while they’re still fresh in my mind,” he said, sliding on his glasses.

He looked up at her. “Go home, Cassie. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m not going home,” she said, settling into the seat across from him. “I’m heading to Faneuil Hall to check out the Christmas tree and holiday decorations. Come with me.”

Ethan smirked, amused. “Isn’t that for tourists?”

“And for doctors who’ve spent fourteen-plus hours in a space that smells like antiseptic. I went last year, and it was nice.”

He rolled his eyes. “I see those decorations every day on my way to work. I’ll pass.”

“Fine,” Cassie said, pulling out her phone. “If you change your mind, you’ll know where to find me.”

When his phone pinged, Ethan glanced at the screen. “What’s this?”

“I just shared my location with you,” she explained. “I’ll keep it on until I get home.”

Almost ten minutes later, Cassie stepped out of the car, thanked her rideshare driver, and drew in a deep breath of the crisp evening air.

Just what I needed, she thought, feeling the tiredness fade away.

The scent of roasted chestnuts and pine mingled with the faint melody of holiday carolers stationed near Quincy Market. Strings of twinkling white and multicolored lights wound their way around the lampposts and tree trunks, casting a soft glow on the historic architecture.

Huddled inside her thick parka, Cassie trekked down the cobblestone streets, her boots crunching softly against the uneven stones as she admired the holiday wreaths adorning shop doors, their vibrant ribbons fluttering in the brisk evening breeze.

Tourists exclaimed excitedly at storefronts showcasing meticulously arranged scenes of snow-covered villages, glittering ornaments and festive garlands. Meanwhile, hardy Bostonians paid no mind to the spectacle, staying laser-focused on their holiday shopping lists.

Cassie treated herself to a steaming cup of hot chocolate and a bag of tiny, freshly fried donuts before settling onto a bench outside Faneuil Hall to people-watch.

A massive Christmas tree towered over the square, draped in a cascade of shimmering gold and silver lights that seemed to light up the night sky. Nearby, a family of four posed for a picture in front of an illuminated reindeer installation while a couple took a selfie, their cheeks rosy from the cold as they huddled close.

“Got room for one more?”

Cassie’s heart lifted at the sound of her lover's familiar voice. She turned to see Ethan and couldn’t help but break into a wide smile.

“Always.” She shifted to make room for him beside her.

“Christ! It’s fuckin’ cold tonight,” he shuddered as the wind picked up.

“You should’ve grabbed a hot chocolate on the way,” Cassie teased, taking an exaggerated sip from hers. “Here.”

She offered him the bag of still-warm donuts, grinning when a dusting of sugar landed on his coat and the corner of his mouth as he took a bite.

“Relax, babe,” she said with a laugh as he muttered about the mess, brushing away the sugar particles with a napkin. “You missed a spot.”

Cassie leaned in and licked the sugar from the corner of his lips. Ethan turned his head, his lips brushing against hers, and then he placed two fingers under her chin, holding her in place as he kissed her deeply and without hesitation.

Firecrackers burst in the distance—or was it her racing heartbeat and the rush of blood to her head? Cassie didn’t know or care as she fell into the moment.

All too soon, their lips drifted apart and the kiss faded into a whisper as their foreheads touched, sharing a quiet, unspoken connection.

“Excuse me?” a man’s voice interrupted. Cassie glanced up to see the other half of the couple who had been taking selfies earlier. “Sorry to disturb you, but could you…?”

He held out his phone to Ethan, then glanced uncertainly back at his girlfriend. Cassie grinned at Ethan’s hesitation and decided to take pity on him.

“I’ll do it,” she offered, stepping forward.

She took a few photos as the couple wrapped their arms around each other and struck playful poses for the camera. The last photo had them kissing softly under the Christmas tree lights. Cassie thought it might be the best one of all, envying the openness of their relationship.

As the couple walked away, thanking her with bright smiles, Cassie sighed wistfully and settled back onto the bench beside Ethan.

“What’s that sigh about?” he asked, raising a curious brow.

“Nothing,” she said, avoiding his gaze as she gathered the empty cup and paper bag to toss in the trash.

“Do you wish we weren’t keeping our relationship secret?”

Cassie was always amazed at how astutely Ethan could read her feelings. She supposed it was inevitable when two people had been in an intimate relationship of one type or another for almost nine months.

“We’re private people.”

“That’s not what I asked, Cassie.” He took her hand, intertwining their fingers. “Do you want to go public?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Our families and my close friends know. It should be enough.”

“But…?”

Cassie rolled her eyes. He could be relentless, like a dog with a bone. She knew he wouldn’t drop it easily.

“But I hate how the nurses flirt with you at work while I have to pretend it doesn’t bother me. Or how, if we took a selfie right now, I couldn’t post it on Picta because, as far as the world knows, I’m single.”

“I’m not posing for a selfie on Picta under any circumstances,” Ethan murmured.

“Wanna bet?” she shot back, glaring at him.

Ethan smirked, his lips twitching as if to hold back a retort. Instead, he leaned in closer, his voice low and teasing. “You’d lose that bet, Dr. Valentine.”

Cassie raised an eyebrow, a challenge glinting in her eyes. “Careful, babe. I always play to win.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Come on, let’s get out of here before I freeze my balls off sitting on this icy bench.”

She grabbed her things and fell into step beside him, their fingers brushing but not quite holding. As they walked into the twinkling glow of the holiday lights, Cassie glanced at him, a quiet smile tugging at her lips.

Maybe the world didn’t need to know about them just yet. Moments like this were enough.

A/N: In case you were wondering. Ethan lost that bet. 😂

-----------------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @justyourusualash @lady-calypso @kyra75 @mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @snoopdogcone @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction @loreofyore

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @cariantha @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[jerzwriter]

New Discoveries

This fic is part of "MOC (Merida, Olivia, Casey) World," but it focuses on the guys! This is a dual ask from @annoyingmillenialnewbie and also prompts provided by @storyofmychoices. I love writing for these three together! Thanks so much for the inspiration!

Book: Open Heart (Post Series) Characters: Ethan Ramsey, Bryce Lahela, Tobias Carrick Rating: Teen Words: 2,099 Trope: There's just one bed.... Summary: A boy's weekend camping takes a few different turns (literally and figuratively), but they endure and make some new discoveries along the way.

A/N: This is part of the Merida, Olivia, and Casey world. Merida belongs to the lovely @lilyoffandoms, and Olivia belongs to our dear @storyofmychoices. The prompts can be found on this list created by @creativepromptsforwriting. (The prompts are bolded in text.) Participating in @choicesjunechallenge2024 - Beginning.

The mountainous road was perilous, to say the least. Yet, if Tobias was fazed by it, it didn't show. The day was beautiful, with a brilliant blue sky stretching endlessly without a cloud in sight. They were the only travelers on the road, and the rugged terrain was no match for his new Range Rover. All in all, it was perfect.

The SUV jolted hard to the right... then to the left...

“Look out!” Ethan shouted.

Then to the right again.

While Tobias was living his best life, Bryce was left to wonder how much life he had left. He had to be cajoled to go camping in the first place, and now he lost hope of arriving at the cabin alive. Tobias glanced at him in the rearview mirror, smiling sardonically when he noticed his friend’s pale, green complexion.

“You all right there, buddy?” he bellowed.

“Of course he’s not all right!” Ethan replied from the passenger’s seat. “We’re both wondering how many more sharp turns you'll take before this tin can goes toppling over the side of the mountain.”

“For fucks sake, Ramsey,” Tobias chuckled. “Grow some hair on them. We’re absolutely fine.”

“We are not fine,” Bryce insisted. “If I don’t make it, please tell Olivia I love her.”

“OK, maybe you are being a tad too dramatic,” Ethan reconsidered, to Tobias’s delight.

“That’s better!”

Nevertheless, two of the three men couldn’t have been more relieved when they pulled up to the rustic cabin that would serve as their home for the weekend. Tobias stepped out of the car with his usual swagger. Black Ray-Bans in place and an Original Gourmet Lollipop in his mouth, he surveyed the land, filled his lungs with the fresh air, and smiled.

“Welcome home, friends!”

Bryce’s exit was a little different. Stumbling out the back door, he looked peaked, but the fear started to vanish from his eyes when he realized they were on solid earth.

“I would lean over and kiss the ground, but I’m pretty sure I’d throw up,” he announced as Ethan mumbled under his breath.

 “What was that, boss?" Tobias called out. "If you have something to say, you really should tell the whole class.”

“I said I don’t know how you convinced me to do this.”

With his hands in his pockets, Tobias rolled back and forth on his feet with a grin. “First, you love us, no matter how much you try to deny it. Second, Merida would have kicked your ass if you backed out.”

“Not to mention you would have never lived down the ribbing we'd give you if you admitted you couldn’t rough it for one weekend.”

“I can rough it, Bryce!” Ethan replied. “Make no mistake about that... I just don’t know if I can rough it with the two of you.”

Tobias clapped his hand against Ethan's shoulder before removing his backpack from the trunk.

“You’re full of shit,” he said, tossing Ethan his bag.

Bryce shielded his eyes to take a better look at the cabin. He had to admit that the bucolic setting was beautiful, ushering in a sense of tranquility that Boston could never deliver.

“The cabin does look really nice,” he observed.

Ethan shrugged with a wrinkled nose. “Looks smaller than I expected.”

Tobias pulled the lollipop out of his mouth, his face glowing like he had just won the jackpot. “Now, there are five words Ramsey has heard repeatedly throughout his life.”

He and Bryce broke into a fit of laughter while Ethan rambled about their juvenile behavior.

“Relax, old man,” Tobias teased. “It is small, but it’s not like we’ll be inside much anyway. Come on, let’s go set up.”  

Ethan and Tobias lingered on the porch as Bryce stepped inside, but he returned in an instant.

“Uh, Tobias, are you sure this is the right cabin?”

“Well, the keys I gave you just opened the door, didn’t they? Of course, it’s the right cabin.” Noting the look on Bryce’s face, he continued. “What’s the matter, Lahela? Did you see a mouse?”

“Oh,” Bryce chuckled. “I wish.”

Ethan raised a brow at Bryce while Tobias stepped inside.

“Wait for it,” Bryce mouthed just before they heard...

“Oh, for fucks sake!!”

Ethan rushed into the cabin with Bryce trailing behind him, and his eyes went wide.

“Are you kidding me?” Ethan scowled. “One bed? What the hell did you do, Carrick? Rent the honeymoon suite?”

Tobias turned to his friend, lips twisted. “Who’d take anyone on a honeymoon here, Ramsey! Even you’re not that clueless.”

“You’re right, and I’m also not clueless enough to get us a cabin with ONE bed.”

Tobias ran his hand over his head with a sigh. “The listing said one single bed and two bunks!”

“Well,” Bryce simpered. “The listing lied.”

“I told you we should have just brought tents and sleeping bags,” Tobias admonished. “But noooo, you two couldn’t rough it!”

“Says the man with the luxury Range Rover,” Ethan smirked.

Ignoring him, Tobias placed his phone back into his pocket. “There’s no service here, but if you want, we can drive back down the to the main road. We passed a Motel 6; we could just stay there tonight if you like.”

“Yeah, I’m not about to head back down that death trap of a road in this weather!” Bryce stated.

“In this weather? It’s beautiful out,” Tobias said just before a loud thunderclap shook them. “Wait! What?” He gasped. “Where the hell did this come from! It was gorgeous out! There was no rain predicted, and... how?”

“What was that you said about not spending much time inside the cabin anyway?” Ethan mocked.

Tobias threw himself back on the bed. “This isn’t happening.”

“It’s all right,” Bryce said, trying to lighten the mood. “ “It’s just for two nights; we can handle that.”

“Maybe you can,” Ethan deadpanned. “I’m not so sure.”

“Well, unless you want to take my keys and drive yourself down the mountain in this monsoon, it doesn’t look like you’ll have much of a choice.”

~~~~~

The afternoon and evening looked different than they had anticipated. Envigorating hikes were replaced by several rounds of poker. An open campfire under the stars turned into hotdogs and baked beans prepared on the hotplate. It was as if a woodland fairy godmother had appeared and reversed her magic.

“I wonder what the girls are doing now,” Bryce asked forlornly.

Ethan pulled a chunk of fat out of the beans with a grimace. “Eating better than we are, that’s for sure!”

“All right!” Tobias snapped. “Enough of this. Hopefully, the rain will pass tonight, and we will have two days to enjoy the great outdoors. But tonight... let's make the best of it. There could be worse things than the three of us stuck in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with copious amounts of beer.”

“The beer will help,” Bryce agreed.

“As long as you two don’t overdo it,” Ethan said, popping a can open. “If either of you falls into a drunken stupor and pees in the bed tonight, we'll be returning to Boston with a lighter load."

“How are we going to sleep?” Bryce asked the question they had all been pondering. “What’s that, a full-size bed? How are the three of us going to fit on that?”

“It’s a queen-size,” Tobias corrected. “We’ll make do.”

“Do you have your sleeping bag, T?” Bryce asked. “Maybe one of us could sleep on the floor.”

“Negative,” he replied. “Once you two overruled tents, I had no reason to pack it.”

“I could just sleep on the floor anyway.”

“Bryce, you’ll freeze,” Ethan pointed out. “The temperature drops significantly during the night in these parts, and this place isn't exactly insulated."

“Yeah, and those cute little shorts and crop tops you bought won’t do a damn thing to keep you warm,” Tobias chortled.

Bryce let out a sigh. “I told you a beach weekend would have been better, but noooo....”

“Weren’t you the one saying it’s just two nights, we’ll survive?” Ethan yawned. “Look, it’s late, I’m exhausted, and I don’t want to freeze, so why don’t we just get this over with?”

“I’m with you,” a weary Tobias replied.

“All right, question. Who sleeps in the middle?”

Bryce's words stopped the other two men in their tracks.

“Well, I hadn’t thought of that,” Tobias snickered.

“This is going to be the longest night of my life,” Ethan groaned.

“Come on, princess,” Tobias winked. “You could do much worse than sharing a bed with two lookers like Lahela and me.”

“I mean, we’re all bi,” Bryce reminded. “It’s not like we’ve never shared a bed with a man before."

“That doesn’t mean I want to be sharing a bed with these two men,” Ethan said, gesturing furiously between his two friends.

“Look, I’m freaking tired,” Tobias interrupted. “I say we pick straws. Short straw gets the middle.”

“Works for me!” Bryce agreed.

No one waited for Ethan to reply, which was unfortunate since he picked the short straw.

“Motherfucker!” he cursed.

“Look,” Tobias pointed out. “None of us are going to sleep well tonight anyway, so what does it really matter.”

“Fine! You want the middle, then?”

“Nope!” Tobias said, claiming his spot against the wall. “I’m good.”

“Wait! That means I’ll be on the edge!” Bryce realized. “I’m going to end up on the floor!”

“Would you like the short stick?” Ethan offered.

“Mmmhh. Nah,” Bryce replied. “Just try not to push me off the bed."

The three men spent the next few minutes squiggling and shifting, doing their best to find a position that would be remotely comfortable for all, and the jokes kept coming, at least from Tobias and Bryce.

“Remember, Ramsey... if your hands get cold during the night, my butt cheeks are not pillows, all right?”

“Jesus Christ!” Ethan groused, rolling to his other side.

“What?” Bryce replied. “Do you think my butt cheeks are available? We can get you some socks for those hands of yours.”

Bryce and Tobias couldn't stop giggling as Ethan seethed between them.

“Come on, Ethan,” Tobias laughed. “You’re amongst friends, and at least you won’t freeze to death.”

“Sure won’t. You’re like a damn furnace! I felt like I needed to remove my clothes.”

“Oh, so you're getting fresh now?” Tobias teased, but Ethan wasn't remotely amused.

“Good night!!” He huffed.

“Sorry,” Bryce yawned. “But you walked right into that one.”

“GOOD NIGHT!”

And then something miraculous occurred; against all odds, the men managed to fall asleep.

~~~

When the sun rose, Bryce was the first to wake. He was already sitting in a folding chair near the window, eating a container of yogurt, when Ethan and Tobias began to stir.

“Good morning!” He chirped, as buoyant as the birds flying around the sunny sky. “It’s about time you're awake.”

“Why are you already up?” Tobias said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Ethan groaned as he threw his legs over the edge of the bed, attempting to stretch his sore muscles. “And how the hell are you not in pain!”

“The benefits of youth, old men!” Bryce laughed. “I really do need to get some friends my own age.”

“Yeah, screw you!” Tobias said, vaulting out of bed to prove a point, but he couldn't hold back an ouch moments later.

“You were saying?” Ethan mocked.

“Of course, I’m in pain!” Tobias shot back. “I can’t barely feel my arm anymore; you were lying on it all night.”

“Are you aware that you talk in your sleep?” Ethan snickered, completely changing the course of conversation.

"Wait... what?" Tobias turned around, the blood rushing from his face. “What...what did I say?”

“I don’t remember everything,” Ethan smirked. “But I’m pretty confident you proposed to me.”

“Yeah, right!” Tobias laughed nervously.

Bryce mindlessly scraped his yogurt container with his spoon. “Honestly, he’s not joking. You were going on and on about getting married.”

“Do you have something to share?” Ethan grinned.

“Well,” Tobias hesitated. “I guess if the cat’s out of the bag. I'm planning on proposing soon, just not to either of you fuckers.”

“You’re proposing to Casey,” Bryce gasped. “Oh my God, Olivia is going to lose her mind!”

“Yeah,” Ethan ran a hand down his neck. “Merida will probably be all over this, too.”

"If you wouldn't mind keeping this from them for the time being," Tobias pled. "It's not that I don't trust them, but..."

"No need to ask," Ethan smiled, shaking his friend's hand. "Congratulations, buddy. All joking aside, I couldn’t be happier for you.”

“Yeah,” Bryce agreed. “This is great news! When are you planning on doing it?”

“Next week, it’s the anniversary of the day we met. I don’t know if she remembers, but I do, so....”

“Do you think she knows?” Bryce asked.

“Nah,” Tobias smiled. “She doesn’t have a clue.”

“You're sure about that?” Ethan asked, preparing a cup of coffee.

“Pretty sure.... why?”

Ethan handed the steaming cup to Tobias with a wink. “Because, apparently.... you talk in your sleep.”

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[potionsprefect]

Everything Has Changed

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Victoria Clarke

Word Count: 802

Summary: After the Senator attack, life at Edenbrook Hospital will never be the same

Rating: Teen

Category: Angst

The hospital was bustling like it always did but at this current moment in time, it was in the media spotlight. After the terrible events of the last 24 hours, Edenbrook was adjusting to a new normal.

Sienna Trinh looked out of the window of the hospital. Everything carried on as normal outside, no one seemed to be aware of the horrors that had occurred inside just hours before. Why did it have to be Edenbrook to suffer?

No one’s lives would ever be the same again, they would forever be haunted by the events of the last day. The last day they never wanted to experience.

Sienna walked to her best friend Victoria’s room where she was sleeping. She looked so peaceful. It was hard to imagine the ordeal she had been through, how she had been so close to death. Sienna couldn’t imagine losing her.

“It’s hard to imagine isn’t it.” A voice said. Sienna turned to see Ethan walking up the corridor.

“I was so sure we were going to lose both her and Rafael. I’m glad we didn’t.” Sienna sighed.

“Me too. How are you holding up? After everything that happened with Danny?” Ethan asked.

Sienna closed her eyes for a second, thinking over the answer in her head. “I don’t really know how to feel. I’m so relieved Victoria and Rafael are ok. But Danny… he’s gone.”

“I know. And it won’t be easy. We’ve all felt a sense of loss. But I think Danny would want us to remember we did a good thing. And I think we should remember that going forward.” Ethan smiled as he looked at Victoria.

“Well there’s no time like the present. Go in there and be with her.” Sienna smiled.

Ethan chuckled before opening the door. He went and sat by Victoria’s bed, grasping her hand as she continued to sleep.

“I’m so glad you’re still here.” Ethan said as he pressed a gentle kiss to Victoria’s hand.

As if she heard him, Victoria opened her eyes. “Me too.” She said.

“Did I wake you?”

“No I was just resting my eyes. How is Raf?”

“He’s doing well. There’s still a long way to go but he’s going in the right direction.”

“That’s good. Although I don’t think life for either of us will be the same again. My lungs are scarred I’ve been told.” Victoria said.

“That’s no surprise. None of us really know the after effects. It looks like you both might be useful for science in the future.”

“Hopefully not for a few years. How is everyone coping?”

Ethan sighed. “They’re not really if I’m honest. Life for all of us is going to be different.”

“Do you think people will expect us to say something? It’s on the news.” Victoria said.

“Not right now. And even if you did, there’s no way you will be saying something without the approval of HR.” Ethan replied.

“You don’t like HR. I’d love to see you interacting with them.” Victoria laughed.

“Never in a million years.” Ethan said. He noticed a box by Victoria’s bed. “What’s that?”

Victoria looked over at what he was pointing at. “Oh it’s my inhaler. I’ll need to use it if I ever get short of breath. I guess that’s the new normal for me now.” Victoria sighed.

“There was always a chance of some effects. But you’ll learn to live with it. It’s better that than the alternative.”

“I suppose. How are you after everything? I haven’t really asked.”

Ethan sighed. “Lots of things. I’m relieved you’re alive along with Rafael but sad that Danny died, angry that the Senator escaped.”

“I know. Me too. I have a lot of unanswered questions. But right now, all I need is you by my side to help me recover.”

“Well that is a guarantee. I need to update Naveen on what’s happened. I’ll be back later.” Ethan stood up and pressed a kiss to Victoria’s forehead before leaving the room.

Whilst Ethan was telling the truth, he made a detour. He headed towards the men’s bathroom. He rested his hands on the sink, head bowed and he could feel himself shaking. Without thinking about it, he broke down, tears streaming down his face and his cries leaving his body one by one. He had been holding it in for so long, he wanted to be strong for Victoria. But now he was letting it out, finally allowing all his emotions to be spilled out.

Ethan washed his face and wiped his eyes before he headed to see Naveen, each step feeling much heavier than the last.

He knew life would never be the same, but for now, he had to be strong. For himself, for the hospital.

For Victoria. And she mattered more than anyone.

Oops I wrote angst lol

Tag list: @ohchoices @swiftiexstarwarssimp @queencarb @genevievemd @choicesaddict5 @schnitzelbutterfingers @gryffindordaughterofathena @sophxwithers @romewritingshop @coffeeheartaddict2 @mm2305 @nikki-2406 @maurine07 @nishas-paradise @replayfootsteps @mainstreetreader @lsvdw-blog @kiara-36 @quixoticdreamer16 @headoverheelsforramsey @shanzay44 @itsjustamesshonestly @josiesopenheart @mysticalgalaxysstuff @custaroonie @ireneadlerisseggsy @takemyopenheart @kachrisberry @rookiemartin @jamespotterthefirst @a-crepusculo @natureblooms24 @jerzwriter @wanderingamongthewildflowers @rosebudde @lucy-268 @liaromancewriter @bex-la-get @writer-ish @toadfrog26 @tessa-liam @peonierose @cariantha @kyra75 @openheartfanfics @choicesficwriterscreations

[argylemnwrites]

WIP Abandoned No More Tag List Clean Up

Alright, thought I'd be back posting in November, but election results in my country left me not wanting to write about anything political or related to reproductive choices/family planning. But, now that the sting has faded to a dull ache of inevitability, I figure I might as well dive back in.

Given that it has been years since I posted, I figure a tag list clean up is warranted. Apologies, this seems like my most recent list, but I could be very mistaken. As usual, this will be opt in. If I don't hear from you by December 3rd, I will take you off my tag list(s). A like means "leave me where I am."

All Choices: @forallthatitsworth @mom2000aggie @kingliam2019 @lovingchoices14

TRR/TRH: @motorcitymademadame @iplaydrake @princessleac1 @twinkleallnight @marshmallowsandfire

@axwalker @sirbeepsalot @iaminlovewithtrr @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @hedgehogs-dilemmas

Drake x MC: @rubiwalker @walkerdrakewalker @petiteboheme @mskaneko

ICWAM: @sunnyxdazed

FoF: @burnsoslow @monstercyclops

OH:  @mskaneko

Bryce x MC: empty

ROD: @burnsoslow @mskaneko @brightpinkpeppercorn

Logan x MC: @iplaydrake

Colt x MC: empty

RCD: empty

Seth x MC: empty

MOTY: empty

Levi x MC: empty

Blades: @marshmallowsandfire

Mal x MC: @brightpinkpeppercorn

TF series: empty

James x MC: empty

TWC: @burnsoslow @agentnatesewell

Nate x f!detective: empty

Mind Blind: @burnsoslow

Grayson x f!button: empty

[the-pale-goddess]

Vices & Virtues - Ethan Ramsey x MC

Dr. Ramsey's weaknesses don’t disturb his everyday life often, but when they do, a certain intern happens to always be involved.

Book: Open Heart, Intern Year (between Chapters 5 & 6)

Warnings: language, my rusty writing, a truckload of pining

Rating/Category: Teen+ / fluffy angst

Author’s note: [insert the ‘surprise, bitch’ & 'it's been 84 years' reaction GIFs]

I’m eternally grateful for the very few angels still waiting for new E&T content—this one’s for you 🫶🏻 Hope you’ll find a moment to read my word vomit and enjoy the mess (aka my writing). I appreciate every comment and like more than words can convey!

Edenbrook is indigestible on Mondays. Though Ethan Ramsey doesn’t believe in whatever ‘curse’ humankind attributed to an absolutely random day, he cannot deny the madness that usually ensues upon the beginning of each week. An inexplicable air of post-weekend malaise does tend to envelop the globe, and Boston is no lucky exception.

“Mondays suck!”

Striding across the hustly-bustly pediatric ward, Doctor Ramsey overhears an agitated boy explicitly expressing his annoyance.

Ethan’s Monday has been a doozy of a day as well, but he’d rather keep his troubles six feet under, preferably in concrete. Nevertheless, a drop of sympathy implores him to stop near the patient’s room and watch the scene unfold at a safe distance.

The child blows a raspberry at the nurse preparing him for a corridor-long wheelchair ride, clearly upset about the surgery he’s being taken to.

A heavy sigh followed by the unmistakable giggle of a certain copper-haired radiologist interrupts Ethan’s first break during today’s demanding shift.

“It’s not Monday, kid. It’s just your life.” Doctor Herbert whispers into Ethan’s ear, a large cup of raspberry tea in her hand. “But at least it’s going to be all rainbows and candy again in three weeks.”

Meanwhile, the situation has escalated quickly: a river of tears streams down the young Monday-hater's cheeks now, his concerned mother shooting pleading looks between her shuddering offspring and the strict nurse trying to efficiently finish the task so she could move on with her hectic schedule.

A pang of dejection pierces Ethan all of a sudden when a long-forgotten fragment of the past he buried flashes through his mind. Before its splinters reopen old wounds, he swiftly pushes the unwanted memory back to the unexplored depths of his psyche.

“I don’t think he’s heard you.”

“Gee, Doctor Ramsey, share some of that cheerful attitude with the rest of us!” Liz nudges his side, almost spilling her hot beverage on his foot. She mouths an apology, but his unimpressed gaze falls elsewhere.

“You wouldn’t even know what to do with it.”

“Thank God your interns still haven’t caught that grumpiness you’re suffering from.”

“No need to worry, it’s not contagious.” He gives a dismissive wave of his hand, partially to announce his departure, then continues the journey to his primary destination: the harmonious sanctuary of his private office.

As soon as the elevator door closes behind Ethan, the confined space becomes his temporary resort. He takes a deep breath, rubbing his sunken, aweary eyes to relieve the tension—an aching remnant of the sleepless night. The exhaustion begins to mess with his senses, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary; permanent fatigue has been his steadfast companion for more than a decade of his career as a doctor.

There’s a crack in that orderly, borderline clinical life of his, as big as a closed fist, and he’s slowly beginning to realize its detrimental consequences.

But none of that matters now.

What matters is that his desperate efforts to bend Naveen’s stubbornness weren’t in vain; there’s still hope—a notion Ethan isn’t exactly on board with, but he puts his trust in science, and beyond any doubt science will point him in the right direction. As long as there’s time, he’ll do whatever it takes to save his mentor, his friend. He’s confident he can do it, he’s capable of diagnosing and curing whichever mysterious illness keeps Naveen captive.

He’s the only one who can do it.

A double shot of deep roasted espresso shall help this cause. Or, at the very least, make his Monday slightly more endurable.

Loud metallic thud followed by a streak of bright fluorescent lighting annunciates the arrival. Empty, windowless corridor welcomes his nostrils with the odious mixture of staleness and antiseptic, typical of the office wing on the sixth floor. He operates on autopilot, mindlessly trudging ahead, marginally consoled by the aura of eerie quietude. Blissfully oblivious to what the so-called Manic Monday has prepared for him next.

All his rational thought and peerless logic evaporate into thin air the second his drowsy gaze zooms in on the old waiting room under renovation currently withheld by the recent budget cuts. Within its hoary walls, a familiar sylphlike figure catches his eye, unwittingly staking her claim to his undivided attention.

Ethan’s dire need of coffee has vanished as well; he’s wide awake now.

Smiling to herself, a sense of pride evident in the alluring dimples carved into her cheeks, Doctor Addams arranges a stack of papers atop a massive couch protected by thin plastic sheet.

Ethan acknowledges that he must ignore the tempest raging inside his chest, but he’s unable to focus on anything else other than the energy she exudes, luring him in like a siren’s song.

This isn’t the first time the infamous Doctor Terminator is utterly powerless in the face of her—the most intriguing mystery he’s tempted to unravel for some godforsaken, unfathomable reason.

Everything he knows about Tiffany Addams has been collateral damage from their close proximity and the isolating nature of their work. Against better judgment, Ethan has stored every single crumb of information thrown at him, like it’s a treasure guarded in the vault of his mind, acquiring new pieces and adding them to this clandestine collection.

With certainty, there’s a new element behind that glass wall, ready to be studied in secret.

As though pulled by a magnet, his feet carry him towards the room while Ethan shuffles through a myriad of excuses plausible enough to start a conversation. A good excuse, however, requires an elaborate background story, supported by a carefully planned follow-up—both of which clearly out of his reach at the moment.

Fully aware of the possible disaster awaiting inside, Ethan steps into the room quietly, leaning against the doorframe with arms crossed over his chest. A sophisticated scent of sultry vanilla wrapped with notes of luminous lavender pervades the space, handily smothering the musty odor of the old hospital furniture stored here for at least a year.

Heedless of his presence, Tiffany remains locked in her own bubble. She’s seated on the couch, browsing through a large leather bag with a lot of noise.

Long onyx locks neatly tamed in a sleek bun reveal the exquisitely sculpted contour of her features, its sharp edges so far removed from the overpowering warmth hiding in her sparkling emeralds and tenacious kindness dripping from the corners of her full mouth.

That stark contrast surely must be a part of her allure, he reckons. Not that there’s any evidence at his disposal—he’s her boss, for fuck’s sake. But the set of cardinal rules applying to the situation doesn’t stop him from looking, nor does it dilute the poison seeping from that singular contaminated thought…

Loud, treacherous voice snarls inside his mind like a beast at the gates of his sanity.

This isn’t staring, this is a comprehensive risk assessment.

Regardless of the pretext, watching her feels almost perverse, but he’s too transfixed to listen to his voice of reason hopelessly trying to redirect him to the path of impeccable propriety.

He can’t look away. Can’t move either. She'll notice him…Eventually.

Is that all he’s become? A disappointment, a fraud. One of the best diagnosticians of the generation, the esteemed Dr. Ethan Ramsey is consistently failing to do his job. His own mind appalls him—once the most treasured asset, his pride and joy, now compromised, useless, struggling to cut through the veil of his inappropriate longing.

Perhaps instead of triggering a spiral of destruction, he should address a more pressing matter: why is there a splotch of purple paint on her cheek?

Better late than never, his focus switches from Tiffany to the negligible surroundings. On her left, spread across the polythene-covered couch, lie a couple of ridiculously abstract drawings, colorful and confusing, each of them made with the skill and precision equal to a six-year-old if he has to guess.

Suddenly, it all clicks.

Along with his tongue.

The short clack doesn’t make her flinch, though she straightens immediately, a glimmer of surprise shining in her riveting eyes when she looks up at the intruder and deems him worthy of a smile. Her lush, rosy lips curl up generously, greeting him with a beam so dazzling his body heats up like bare skin kissed by the blazing midday sun in the middle of summer.

The older doctor doesn’t return the cordial gesture—he has a reputation to uphold and his bruised dignity to save. He quickly takes refuge in the shadow of his perfect decorum, dexterously covering the unjustifiable act of treason committed by his very own carnality.

Tiffany, however, is undeterred in her mission to melt his callous indifference with the disarming sincerity of her vivacious spirit.

“Before you drop your sarcastic grenades on me: no, I have not found my true calling elsewhere. I have not been slacking up either. These aren’t even mine, so insulting someone else’s artistic skills would be totally inappropriate.” Her hand waves over the drawings.

“I wouldn’t dare to insult a respected artist and credit you with their art.” He retorts flatly, then spills the aforementioned sarcasm like the Lord intended. “Early Pollock must cost a fortune or two. How come such rare artworks ended up in your possession?”

His comment inspires a peal of infectious laughter; the powerful melody of Tiffany’s unadulterated amusement conquers the room, all but obliterating the chronic sternness of Ethan’s face.

He cannot help but bask in the glory of this unexpected outcome: he’s the reason behind the glorious, velvety sound; she’s laughing because of him.

“You made a pretty solid assumption, Doctor Ramsey, but I have to disappoint you: early Pollock had an affair with surrealism and his style was way more compositional than this.” She points at the glittery mess splashed in the center of one of the pieces, not so subtly suppressing another wave of laughter.

Miss Addams and her irreplaceable wit painfully remind him of the golden rule he often pretends doesn’t concern his giant ego: do not speak on the topics your knowledge of is insufficient.

Lustrous vivid-green eyes fixed on him and the urgency he’s facing at the moment leave him no choice but to quickly shake off the embarrassment and adapt his reaction accordingly.

Reluctantly, Ethan clings to brutal honesty. “I’m not an art connoisseur, so I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”

“Oh, trust me, you would.”

A smudge of amethyst retrieves the diagnostician’s attention for one split second, demanding a seamless change of topic.

“I presume you spent your lunch break on the pediatric ward again, trying to start a new art movement.”

Doctor Addams gasps theatrically and presses her slender fingers to her mouth, lowering her head slightly. “What gave me away?”

Ethan considers revealing the truth through another shot of bluntly delivered sarcasm (something he would have done in any other case), but his body betrays him, subconsciously drawing near Tiffany.

“Apart from the excited chatter on the second floor? Nothing.” He replies, straining to keep his impeccable composure just as she bites into her lower lip tantalizingly in what appears to be keen anticipation.

A few risky steps later she’s at his arm’s length, and he decides to measure that dangerously short distance; akin to an audience member of some ludicrous soap opera, the diagnostician observes his hand move towards the intern’s face in slow motion, as if that bloody limb wasn’t his and the falsely innocent intention swarming inside his incisive, virtuous mind filled him with repulsion.

Except he wants this. He needs to feel her.

Even though the mere ghost of an idea may bring his demise, he cannot break free, imprisoned by the torturous vision of her vanilla-scented skin gliding smoothly against his.

Much to his bewilderment, her breath quickens just as much as his; the evergreen forest in her eyes bursts into flames when their gazes meet, burning his hesitation down.

She wants this too.

Nothing could convince him to refrain from acting on this forbidden desire now, not a single reasonable thought seems to be charged with a cogent argument.

So he lets his thumb brush down her right cheek, down the lick of wet paint smeared across her warm skin, taking most of the dark purple off the silken canvas along the way.

The sky didn’t tear in half, there was no divine retribution exacted upon a sinner like him, no sign of punishment fit for his appalling misdeed.

“Nothing. At. All.”

Nothing but the silky smoothness of her face, rapid rise and fall of her shapely chest, and fiery heat searing through his veins…

Inevitably, the unbearable tension crackling between them dissipates in a flash when Tiffany snorts at the sight of his acrylic-stained thumb, a soundless ‘fuck’ escapes her mouth as she sprints to find a prompt solution for the paintmergency, stripping him of time to ponder on what the living hell just happened.

He takes advantage of the moment, immediately scolding himself, forcing his thoughts to flee from the crime scene concocted by his newly depraved brain.

“Must be your enviable instinct of an outstanding diagnostician then.” Cheeky as ever, she casts a playful eye over Ethan while rummaging through the drawers, summoning him to focus on her.

Within a long minute, she scuttles back to him, stretched arm offering one of the two pieces of paper towel sprayed with hand sanitizer. They use it to rub the paint off their skin. As soon as they’re done, Ethan quips back. Sort of.

“The balance between mockery and flattery is a bit too delicate to be used in a professional environment, don’t you agree, Addams?”

Unintimidated by the tricky question, Tiffany lifts her shoulder in a half shrug. “It all depends on the intelligence of the person you’re speaking with. You’re ultrawealthy in that department, so I assumed you wouldn’t mind some harmless friendly banter.”

“We’re not friends.” The speed with which he retaliates might have just sealed his fate. Deep down, he doesn’t quite believe those words himself, but there are rules to be followed unconditionally, rules that cannot be broken under any circumstances.

Dark, noble brows accentuating the breadth of her radiance crease together in sheer bewilderment. He can almost hear the scoff she’s choking back when she sees right through the cone-shaped hole in the thick wall separating them.

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

“We’re getting there.” She nods vigorously, openly mocking his well-meaning mendacity with lips pursed into a thin line and narrowed eyes surveying him diligently.

„An attending befriending his intern? I can’t see that happening.”

A winning grin lights Tiffany’s features up. „It’s already happening, whether you like it or not.”

The more she pushes forward, infuriatingly so, the more he resists, fortifying his helpless defense.

„Would you be kind enough to explain why on Earth would I let it happen?”

“It’s beyond your control.” She shakes her head. „There’s nothing you can do now.”

He frowns at her, takes her fierce expression in, feigning utter disinterest in the mesmerizing spatter of freckles adorning her glowy skin.

Is the intensity of his glare too revealing? Can there be a flash of ardent curiosity swimming in his eyes and acting up against him?

„You’re awfully confident about all the wrong things, Rookie.”

She mimics the military salute, right hand raised sharply, touching her forehead, fingers and thumb extended and joined, palm facing down. „The colossal pain in your ass reporting for duty, sir.”

This display of her goofiness, derived from the smidgeon of irreverence he’s found himself covertly fond of, successfully penetrates his ruptured facade.

At last, Doctor Terminator’s perpetually grim face blooms with an ear-to-ear smile, so wide and genuine that Tiffany blinks once, twice, most probably questioning whether the exceptionally unusual scene in front of her is real.

The way she gapes at his mouth almost drills a hole in him—she’s that awestruck, like a pious believer who stumbled upon irrefutable evidence confirming the foundation of her faith.

“You should smile more. You…” Her plush lips part when she trails off, then sucks in a breath, as if to stop the profanation of their professional relationship jumping on the tip of her tongue from slipping out recklessly.

She wants this too.

“It suits you.”

Ethan’s cheeks erupt with disgraceful heat, resembling an awkward teenager attracting his crush’s attention for the very first time—the feeling almost as mortifying and inexcusable as the unprecedented lack of any snarky response.

As if the worst was yet to come, Tiffany keeps on staring at him with such exhilarating wonder and sureness he doesn’t quite know how to proceed with such abundance of emotion meddling with his stoic approach.

She wants this too.

For a fleeting moment, the abyss of his solitude shrinks significantly, purple paint filling the crack on the illusory contentment with the life he’s chosen, just as her piercing gaze invites him further into the impossible fantasy.

Then, a jolt of sobering guilt runs along his spine in a rude awakening, at the same time when Tiffany realizes the gravity of her daring statement and its perilous implications.

“I, erm…”

“Uhm, my…”

Ethan smashes the uncharacteristic uneasiness descending on them, a benign half-smile and barely perceptible nod encourage her to continue. “Go on.”

Her gaze flickers towards the hall, a tinge of crimson reddening freckled porcelain. “My break is almost over. I should head back to the ER.”

Hell must have frozen over: his fearless protégée, strong-willed and sharp-tongued at all times, befuddles him with this uncommonly demure armor plate she has put on. The most challenging obstacles and cases fail to break her down, stress and pressure never threaten her admirable strength, and yet there she is—bleeding from her own sword.

This supremely fascinating token of hidden vulnerability sheds new light on the beguiling collection of contradictions making her whole.

He examines the younger doctor pacing around the room as she gathers her belongings up, stuffing her capacious bag with them. Half-way, she spins to address him directly and points at her cheek.

“Am I…Still…?”

“No, you’re alright. The paint is gone.”

“Splendid.”

As she goes forward, assembling her patients’ drawings into a neat pile, and—rather intentionally—ignoring Ethan, he readjusts his tie and dives headfirst into the pool of her discomfort.

“Addams?”

“Hm?”

“You don’t have to dedicate such a vast portion of your free time to helping others.”

She freezes, visibly offended, but still intent on avoiding his gaze. “I know. I want to.”

“What I meant...Is that you need to add yourself to the equation, Tiffany.”

“I’m doing just fine, thank you.” She scoffs, the barely noticeable defensive undertone reverberating in her firm answer not entirely convincing for the diagnostics virtuoso.

His evaluation is disrupted by the abominably loud beeping of Tiffany’s pager. Their eyes finally clash for a brief shootout with no winner before she shuts the damn thing up.

“Well then. See you later, Doctor Ramsey.” She blurts out hastily without giving him a second glance and turns round to rush out of the room, but stops in her tracks near the door.

Something sparks inside that brilliant mind of hers, reigniting her boldness. Dense curtain of long lashes flutters at him over her shoulder, inky-black and luxurious akin to the finest lace, the signature magnetic smile dancing on her lips again—this time infused with genuine concern. She inspects his countenance for a still moment, inch by inch, crease by crease, until her head falls to the side like she has just uncovered his biggest secret.

“Consider locking the door in your office and getting some rest.”

“Giving me advice isn’t included in your job description.” He sneers, the unnecessarily harsh huff of his disapproval concealing the alien sentiment spilling inside his chest.

Somehow it’s still not enough to antagonize her.

Her eyes bore into his audaciously; the gentleness gleaming from elusive emerald green, reminiscent of safety, offers shelter he despairingly seeks, but cannot take. “But it’s nice to have someone watching out for you, isn’t it?”

Somehow they might have more in common than one would think.

Careful not to expose the motley collection of feelings stirring his blood, Ethan draws in a long breath and slips his hands into the pockets of pristine white coat, perfecting his posture, with tense body standing even taller, as though to appear completely unaffected by her undeniable appeal, more unrelenting.

He’s been looked at countless times, yes, but this must be the first instance where he feels truly seen.

It is indeed nice.

The attending doesn’t say a word, for he would have to agree with the intern. She smirks triumphantly, accepting the tacit disbelief etched on his face as conclusive proof of her diagnosis.

Instead of claiming victory through verbal manifestation of her sass, Doctor Addams attacks him using a different weapon: a provocative wink. “Just think about it.”

With a graceful twirl indicating goodbye, his Rookie struts out, leaving a dizzying mist of her divine scent behind.

Wasting no time, Ethan scoots to the exact place where she stood prior to this moment, soaking up the delicious cloud of fragrance, unable to resist sniffing the air like some sort of disgustingly pathetic creep.

Thankfully, there are no witnesses to this particularly revolting descent into madness.

No witnesses to the beginning of his fall.

Mind over heart has never sounded more delusional than now, that his hard-won empire of spotless reason stands on the verge of crumbling. But he’s not giving up—he can’t give up. There’s too much at stake.

Beyond dispute, Ethan Ramsey is not an easy man to defeat. The King of Quiet Desperation wears his broken crown with arrogance, each burnished gem representing his sins, though the ultimate one hasn’t brought him down yet.

Having put the mask of nonchalance back on, Doctor Ramsey turns off the lights and stomps into the empty corridor—his hand still carrying the heavenly softness of Tiffany’s skin like a fingerprint, like a sin, shaky fingers curling at the very thought of the contact—then begins a seemingly casual stroll to his office.

He doesn’t have many vices—she is all of them.

_____

A/N2: Hope you enjoyed this bad boy ❤️ Sorry (not sorry) if it's too long and repetitive...I literally can't shut up when it comes to these two fsksjdkfjs Plus it felt really good to find my writing mojo after such a long time!

PS. If there are any typos and/or mistakes...No, there aren't lol I'm fighting COVID at the moment, so my brain's a little foggy. I had this fic sitting in my drafts and decided to just go with the flow while I'm feverish and can't see any faults sjfskfkjf I'll get back to everyone waiting for a reply when I'm more coherent. Stay safe, lovelies!

[openheartfanfics]

Newly Added Fics

Oct 12 - 18, 2024  

🎭 Angst  |  🦚 Angsty Fluff  |  🛸 AU  |  ☁ Fluff  |  ♥ NSFW  |  📚 Series  |  📷 Edit  |  📱 TextFic  |  Ⓜ Mature

Ethan x F!MC

Good Driver - @cariantha ♥ “Before you marry someone, go sit in traffic with them for at least 2 hours.” How would Ethan and Sawyer do? [Public]

I Don’t About You, But I’m Feeling 32 - @genevievemd 📷 Gen celebrates a birthday and becoming a new mom.

Rafael x F!MC

Our Miracle Baby - @rafasgirl23415 📚 [extended: wip] TW: Discussion of and scenes of miscarriage in flashback scenes of domestic violence.

Part 15

Part 16

Sienna x M!OC

Motivation - @liaromancewriter 📱 Sienna has motivational words for Max.

Tobias x F!MC

A Change of Plans - @jerzwriter ☁ Casey's cousin, Peter, is insistent she meet his friend, Ian. Casey would rather be on her couch after a long day at work, but a twist of fate has her glad she went after all.

_

SUBMIT OPEN HEART FICS & WRITERS HERE

[choicesficwriterscreations]

Open Heart F/AtoW: Aug 25 - 31, 2024

✒️ = Fanfic | 📱 = Text Fics/Edits | 🎨 = Fanart Ⓜ️ = Mature Content 18+ | 🔥 = Explicit/NSFW 18+ 🏳️‍🌈 = LGBTQIA+

ETHAN RAMSEY

Haunted ✒️Ⓜ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @coffeeheartaddict2

In a Mood ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @cariantha

Reactions Over Text 📱 | Ethan Ramsey & Sienna Trinh - @jamespotterthefirst

Where It All Began ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @potionsprefect

RAFAEL AVEIRO

How Will I Live Without You (Series) ✒️ | Rafael Aveiro x F!MC - @rafasgirl23415 Part 2 Part 3

SIENNA TRINH

Cookies 📱 | Sienna Trinh - @liaromancewriter

Dr. Sienna Trinh 🎨 | Sienna Trinh - @lilyoffandoms

First Day ✒️ | Sienna Trinh - @liaromancewriter

Reactions Over Text 📱 | Ethan Ramsey & Sienna Trinh - @jamespotterthefirst

Sienna's Dream Kitchen 📱 | Sienna Trinh x M!OC - @liaromancewriter

Sienna Geometric Art 🎨 | Sienna Trinh - @storyofmychoices

The Sweetest Friend ✒️ | Sienna Trinh, Aurora Emery & F!MC - @jerzwriter

TOBIAS CARRICK

Round Two (Series) ✒️ | Tobias Carrick x F!MC - @jerzwriter Part 1: Christmas Present Part 2: Ready or Not Part 3: Slice of Happiness

Welcome Brooke Vivian Carrick! 🎨📱 | Tobias Carrick x F!MC - ArtbyAinna (IG) C: @jerzwriter

Main F/AtoW List: Aug 25 - 31, 2024

[silver-rings-and-rabbits]

Genuinely, I had come up with an idea for a short story about a fire in Edenbrook way before Open Hearts on Fire was even announced. I was slow on the upload though, and OHOF's debut seems like the perfect time to post...since PB couldn't even be arsed to put all four love interests in there anyway.

I'm not even surprised they left out Rafael. BUT here he is with my MC...and I'd love to say this happens during the events of OHOF but my story is still set in third year.

[justcallmefox89]

Irresistible Force Paradox: Chapter Five - An Open Heart fic

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

After a tragedy, Rory and Ethan call a temporary ceasefire.

I sprint into the waiting room at Edenbrook, frantically looking around for anyone who may have answers about Delores.  I spot Ramsey sitting alone, staring down at his hands, and I rush over to him.

“Dr. Ramsey?  What happened? Where’s Delores?” I pant, bending in half and sucking in air, my hands on my knees.

He doesn’t answer me for several long moments, making me fidget impatiently.  I’m opening my mouth to repeat myself when he finally meets my eyes.

“Delores had a seizure,” he says hollowly, his eyes distant and unfocused.  “Full eclampsia.  We had no choice but to deliver the baby.  It’s 50/50 he’ll survive the night.”

“No…” I breathe out.  My knees buckles but I mange to catch myself on the arm of the chair Ramsey is sitting in.  “Where’s Delores?”

“She died.”

My blood roars in my ears, drowning out all of the other mundane hospital sounds surrounding us.  My eyes burn as small tendrils of grief take root in my chest, quickly stamped out by the heavier, more intense feeling of anger.  Anger at the randomness, the unfairness of it all.  Anger at myself for not having done more, not fighting Ramsey harder, not making Delores understand just how serious her condition was.

NO.

“Dr. Ramsey, - ”

“I’m fine.”  He stands and quickly strides away without looking back. 

A while later I tiptoe into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, clutching that stupid stuffed frog, and silently begin searching the incubators for Delores’s son.  I allow myself a tiny smile when I finally find him and read his name tag.

Ethan Hudson.  How about that…

“Can I help you?”

I whirl around in surprise to face the attending on duty.  “His mother was my patient.  She got to name him?” I ask, vaguely gesturing towards the incubator. 

“She told me just as she was rushed to the O.R.  The poor thing.  We’ll know more in the morning,” she answers, casting a sad look towards the baby.

“Do you mind if I sit with him tonight?”

“Feel free.”

“Do you mind if he has this?”  I hold up the frog.  “His mother wanted him to have it.  It’s been sterilized.”

“Go ahead,” she says, shrugging as she walks away.

I pull on a pair of sterile gloves and place the stuffed animal into the incubator, tucking it close to the baby.  He snuggles weakly against it, and tears prick my eyes.  “That’s it, tadpole.  That’s the way.”

I sit down on the couch next to the incubator and put my hand back inside, allowing the baby to grasp one of my gloves fingers.  I relax into the couch, preparing for a long, sleepless night.

********************************************** Ethan rounds the corner to enter the N.I.C.U. and draws up short as the sound of a now irritatingly familiar voice floats out to meet him.

“Can you believe some people actually think Black Jack Randall is attractive?  Like the book version, not the actor in the series?”

Ethan peers around on the doorjamb to see O’Shea seated next to the incubator housing Delores’s son, having a very enthusiastic one-side conversation with the infant.

“I know!  After everything he did to Jamie… I can’t believe it either.  How do you feel about Lord John as a character?”  Rory pauses as if listening to the baby’s reply.  “Well obviously… clearly you’re a gentleman of taste.  Can I talk about my gripe with Roger for a second?  Because honestly - ”

“Ahem.”  Ethan clears his throat and Rory glances over at him, eyes wide and cheeks pink with embarrassment.  “What are you still doing here?”

“I’m staying here tonight.”  O’Shea turns his attention back to the incubator.  “I hate the idea of him fighting for his life alone.”

“There are plenty of doctors working overnight.  If something happens, they’ll be here.”

“I know.”

The whisper is so soft Ethan can barely hear it.  “Would you mind if I joined you?”

O’Shea’s wide green eyes betray his surprise and it takes him a moment to answer.  “Not at all,” he finally says, shaking his head and scooting over to make room on the couch.

***************************************************

Ethan settles down on the couch next to me and for a while the soft, rhythmic whoosh of the ventilator is the only sound in the room.  He catches sight of the stuffed frog and breaks out into a rare smile.

“You gave him the frog.  Delores would have been…”  His face falls and his falls silent at the reminder of the loss of his friend.  “She would have been pleased.”

I bite the inside of my cheek and blink quickly in an effort to hold off the tears that have been threatening to fall all night.

“The first patient I lost… I was in my fourth week,” Ethan says, his voice more gentle than I thought him capable of.  “I didn’t make any mistakes.  He had stage four metastatic melanoma.  He just… fought like hell and lost.  I liked him.  He wasn’t much older than I am now.  I knew he didn’t have long to live, but it still hit me hard.”

I take a shallow, shuddering breath.  “I can’t let this get to me,” I mumble.

“Grieving a lost patient isn’t a weakness.  Good doctors should value life.  For itself.  I’d be more concerned if you weren’t upset.  Just know this wasn’t your fault.  Or mine.  Or Delores’s.  We all made the best decisions we could with the information we had.”

The argument that we could have done things differently is at the tip of my tongue, but I bite it back.  “I could have done more,” I say bitterly.  “I failed her.”

Ethan sighs.  “It’s important to push yourself, Rookie, but you will take a lot of losses.  We all do.  What matters is that you come back stronger.”

I glance at him suspiciously from the corner of my eye.  “Why are you being so nice to me?  Usually you’re…”

“Demanding?” he helpfully supplies.

“An asshole,” I mumble.

Other than a slight raise of his eyebrows Ethan doesn’t comment on my assessment of his character.  He stares off into space, sorting his thoughts.  “There are doctors with unlimited patience,” he says eventually.  “I am not one of them.  Energy I could use socializing, or making someone’s day better, I put towards my patience.  They’re who I’m here for.”

“Well that explains why you and Dr. Emery broke up,” I mutter under my breath.

“Rookie…”  Ethan’s tone is warning.

“You’re a teacher too,” I point out, attempting to backtrack.

“One of many, and you shouldn’t model yourself after any of us.  Idolatry among physicians is absurd.  We’re here to teach you practical medicine.  You need to find your own way of being a doctor.”

“And… how do I do that?” I ask, twisting on the couch to fully face him, ready to absorb whatever Yoda-like knowledge he’s preparing to hand down.

The corner’s of Ethan’s lips tip up into a gentle smile.  “You already are.” 

What the fuck does that mean?

The baby stretches and wiggles, and Ethan scoots closer to the incubator, offering him a gloved finger.  A soft, absent looks washes over Ethan’s face as the baby tightly clutches his finger.

“She named him after you,” I murmur.

His eyes widen in surprise as he looks down at the nametag.  His jaw tightens and his throat works as he swallows.  “I… see she did.”

“Did you know Delores a long time?” I venture.

“Over ten years.  When I first emailed her I only meant to check in.  But she was recently divorced, feeling alone, so she insisted on coffee.  And then it turned into more emails and meeting once every couple months for Sunday roast.

“She sounds like a good friend.”

“I didn’t make friends easily when I started here, so I was always grateful to her for that.”  Ethan swallows hard and falls silent, gazing intently at Delores’s baby.  His eyes are red.

Unconsciously I reach out and place my hand over his.  “I’m so sorry this happened,” I whisper, my voice cracking slightly.

Ethan glances up at me, surprise at first, and then something I can’t decipher in his shining blue eyes.  He holds my gaze, his hand broad and warm beneath my own. 

“Me too.”  He roughly clears his throat.  “I think we need coffee.”

“I can get some,” I offer, not having the heart to tell him I don’t like coffee.

“No.  I’ll go.”

Several minutes tick by as I watch baby Ethan sleep, counting each shallow rise and fall of his chest.  I start to drift off, the ambient hospital sounds soothing me. 

“Here you go, Rookie.” 

I shake my head, trying to clear away the cobwebs, and gingerly take the steaming mug Ethan’s hand me.  I wrinkle my nose as the bitter smell of coffee assaults my senses and steel myself to take a sip.  I fight the urge to gag, rather valiantly I think, and force down the drink.

Ethan attempts to hide a smirk behind his mug.  “You could have said you weren’t a fan of coffee, Rookie.”

Apparently I’m not as subtle as I thought.

I sheepishly set the mug on the small table next to the couch.  “Sorry.  I do appreciate the thought though.”

************************************************

Ethan gazes down at the sleeping O’Shea, who’s currently curled up against Ethan’s side.  The two had talked long into the night, seamlessly bouncing from subject to subject.  Ethan had found himself truly enjoying the conversation; Rory had proven to be well-versed in many subjects, and his quick, caustic sense of humor had Ethan laughing more than he had in months.  Several strands of inky dark hair have fallen over Rory’s face, and his glasses are slightly askew.  Ethan’s lips quirk up at the endearing sight, his breath catching as Rory’s nuzzles against his arm.

“Rookie,” he murmurs, gently brushing the loose hair back away from Rory’s face.  “Come on Rookie, time to wake up.”

Rory sits up slowly, yawning and stretching his arms over his head.  He adjusts his glasses and turns to the incubator.  Baby Ethan rests soundly, still snuggled against the stuffed frog.

“He made it!”  Rory flashes Ethan a beaming smile, unable to contain his joy.

“And he’s getting stronger.”

Rory takes out his hair tie, shaking the unruly strands loose, unable to stop smiling.  He runs a hand through his now unbound hair and checks his phone, his smile falling a little as he notes the time. 

“Damn,” he sighs.  I have rounds in twenty minutes.  I need to go shower.”

Ethan sucks in a shallow breath, fighting to think about anything other than a naked, soapy Rory, hands trailing over lithe muscles…  “I’ll stay a little longer,” he quickly offers.

Rory stands, smiling at the baby one last time.  “Catch you later, tadpole.”

“Rory,” Ethan calls out as the other man is halfway out the door.

Rory skids to a halt and looks back over his shoulder.  “Hm?”

“Thank you.”

[alwaysmychoices]

Red Lipstick

Synopsis: Fresh off their breakup and public fight, Charlie is set on revenge. If she can't make Ethan change his ways, she can make him jealous.

The day after their relationship-ending fight, Charlie and Ethan are forced to work together. Instead of getting back together, they end up adding fuel to the fire.

Chapter 38 of the “with and without” series

Previous Series: “a weekend with dr. ramsey”

Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x MC (Charlotte “Charlie” Greene)

Words: 3.8k

Rating: Teen (language)

Also available on AO3 & Wattpad (link in Masterlist)

If love and hate are two sides of the same coin, Charlie’s coin was caught mid-air.

Charlie took a shot of tequila and savored the way the liquid burned through her body. It settled deep in her chest, numbing the unbearable ache of loss. The heat pooling in her belly stained her cheeks a dazed pink, mirroring the red on her lips and burgundy clinging to her skin.

Once, wearing red had been a gift to Ethan. Tonight, wearing it was a punishment. She would make him appreciate the poison on her lips. Even better, he could see this red lipstick smeared on another man’s lips.

Armed with a tequila buzz, Charlie only had an eye for revenge. The alcohol did nothing to quiet her desperation to make Ethan squirm. If anything, it silenced the only remnant of reason she still had.

Charlie couldn’t make Ethan realize the errors of his ways or drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness. She couldn’t even make him feel the same pain she felt tonight, but she could make Ethan pay.

He’d understand how it felt to invest everything into a man who’d spent years warning her of his true nature. He’d know what it meant to pledge his soul to someone who could disregard under the guise of self-righteousness. He’d feel the desperation and shame of a woman made unhinged.

It would be enough to make him feel the way she felt screaming at him in the hallway – helpless and righteous and violently disappointed. It was so strange that the person who understood her completely only a few days ago now fundamentally misunderstood her and her deepest needs.

She was looking at a stranger, but it was a stranger she knew so perfectly that a part of him resided in her soul.

She didn’t dare look at her reflection that night when she applied her red lipstick in a dingy bar bathroom. She wouldn’t have liked this version of herself. But right now, when the world was collapsing and everything was broken, Charlie knew she needed to kiss someone else, and she needed Ethan to see it.

That’s why she was here. She knew he’d go to Donahue’s tonight.

Ethan was too proud to take a public fight like that without needing a drink, especially when he didn’t have the privilege of having the last word. He’d want to drown himself in the bottle to avoid facing his reflection. And a small part of her whispered that he wouldn’t want to go home alone and be reminded that she wouldn’t be there to warm his bed.

Charlie picked up her fourth drink – a tequila soda with lime – and ignored the warning stares of her friend. As she sipped on the bubbly soda, she had a passing thought that she didn’t have to do this. She still had time to back out.

But Charlie brushed off the thought with an exaggerated grunt of distaste. She didn’t like feeling weak and out of control. She didn’t like that Ethan had positioned himself as the authority in this conflict. She needed something entirely her own, and her self-doubt only made her more convinced of her need to follow through with the plan.

She took another gulp of liquid courage and eyed the crowd.

Almost immediately, she caught the eye of Jeremy – a surgical intern who had a habit of flirting with her on consults. Ethan used to say how much he disliked Jeremy, though he’d never admitted he was jealous of the flirting.

That’s him, she thought, That’s my target.

Charlie held Jeremy’s gaze, pairing an exaggerated expression of innocence with a coy smile. He fell for it instantly, losing interest in his passing conversation. He looked around the bar, unsure her display was truly for him. Once satisfied that her attention belonged to him, Jeremy picked up his beer and moved through the bar with a grandiose sense of confidence – as if she hadn’t just watched him doubt that he was even the one she was looking at.

“Dr. Greene,” Jeremy greeted, offering a lopsided smile he thought was sexy. She fought the urge to recoil.

“Jeremy,” Charlie drew out the syllables of his name, emphasizing it to remind him they were no longer in the hospital walls.

“I haven’t seen you out in a long time, Charlie,” he repeated her gesture, leaning closer.

He smelled like beer and overzealous cologne, and Charlie’s nose prickled with the odor.

“It’s been a while,” she confessed, a smile still plastered on her lips.

“What’s the occasion?” he leaned even closer, and now, she could smell his breath. Beer and tobacco with pungent spearmint – an effort to hide the smoking or lure in a date for the night. She didn’t like the idea of either.

“Just wanted a night to not think about work,” Charlie lied.

“Now, I am very good at that.”

“Are you?” Charlie smirked. Of course, he was good at forgetting about work. He’d forgotten about half the consults he was supposed to finish this week.

“Let me show you by buying you a drink.”

This time, Charlie’s smile was genuine.

“You’re on,” Charlie added coolly, “but you better live up to the challenge.”

Just as she expected, his pride prickled at the provocation, and he led her to the bar like a man who had just won the best prize at the fair – even though she hadn’t engineered the whole thing. He ordered her a drink – another tequila soda – and didn’t notice how Reggie glared at him the entire time. Reggie cast Charlie a passing glance, and she averted her eyes in shame. Unfortunately, Ethan’s best friend and trusted bartender had to be complicit in her ploy, but the momentary embarrassment didn’t deter Charlie, even if she could no longer make eye contact with her favorite bartender.

Instead, she turned her attention back to Jeremy.

Up close, he didn’t improve much. His smile was too uneven, and his hair was too blonde. He looked too soft and sheltered. Fractures readily appeared in his ego, too. He wanted her to like him so much that she thought he might burst if she didn’t, yet he treated her with calculated indifference. He didn’t care much about what she said, which was fine by Charlie. She didn’t want to talk to him anyway.

Now that she sat here, she couldn’t remember why she’d ever thought about flirting back during their workplace encounters. A small voice whispered that he was so unappealing tonight because she was subconsciously comparing him to Ethan – a standard he could never overcome. But that voice could be drowned out with more alcohol.

When Jeremy began his second story about the epic surgery he’d shadowed this week, Charlie almost lost her will to carry on.

But then she felt it.

The change in the air.

The hushed, respectful silence.

The scent of sandalwood subtly drifting through the crowded room, reminding her of the nights spent sleeping in his shirts.

She felt Ethan’s presence.

It infuriated Charlie how much her body remembered and her mind betrayed.

She seemed to belong to him even when she was hell-bent on destroying him. In her grand act of defiance, she was just a pawn – to her boyfriend determined to hide her or a billionaire willing to do anything to save his wife or a killer virus threatening to take it all away. Once again, Charlie was weak.

Fury flared in her chest, burning bright red and blurring her vision with dreams of reclaimed strength. Fuck Bloom. Fuck Edenbrook. Fuck everything and everyone who screwed her over.

And most importantly – fuck Ethan Ramsey.

Charlie boldly leaned forward, so close that her curls brushed against Jeremy’s shirt. Eyes wide and lips parted, she stared at Jeremy like he was the god he imagined himself, and Jeremy choked on his beer in surprise. It was a flattering reaction, but Charlie didn’t notice.

All she cared about was the heat of Ethan’s stare burning into her skin, searching for some reminder of his claim on her. His eyes could have pierced her skin, teetering between sharp anger and fiery jealous.

Ethan was furious, and that made her smile.

“I’m so glad I found you tonight,” Charlie bit on her lower lip, eyes twinkling as she placed a hand on Jeremy’s thigh. Jeremy sputtered, and Charlie watched Ethan fume out of the corner of her eye.

He felt it.

Fuck, yes, Ethan felt it.

Charlie felt powerful and vindicated. It was intoxicating, and Charlie couldn’t get enough. She had to push him farther, to make him feel more. She didn’t care if she was dangerously close to a cliff if it meant Ethan would fall with her.

Ethan wanted to burn the fucking bar down. He pushed his way through the throng of residents with callous disinterest, his eyes never leaving Charlie and that fucking idiot. Jeremy Dagenhart? That little shit.

He didn’t deserve her attention. Ethan did.

That was his smile.

His girlfriend.

Fuck, that was even the lipstick he gave her!

Ethan fell into his usual barstool with so much force and fury that the wood nearly splintered. He imagined all the ways he could kill Dagenhart. Ethan could give him a rare disease, if he had the patience. Poisoning his drink would be faster. Skinning him alive would be more satisfying.

Wordlessly, Reggie delivered the scotch he’d prepared when he’d caught on to Charlie’s gambit, and Ethan gulped it down, failing to savor the expensive scotch. It burned his throat like a knife slicing through him, gaining momentum as the alcohol fought against the growing anger. He shoved the glass back on the bar so hard that the glass nearly shattered. Reggie expertly refilled it before Ethan could bark out a request.

Ethan couldn’t stop watching. He knew he was being watched, too. Behind him, he heard the whispers. He knew this entire charade was just as much for them as it was for him. He knew that his behavior was alarming and would find its way Bloom’s office.

But…

This was his Charlotte! His beautiful, wonderful Charlotte. The blonde hair that splayed across his pillow. The laugh that echoed in his apartment. The smell of coconut and vanilla that lingered in his sheets.

Charlotte Greene was the love of his life.

Ethan watched her with blazing jealousy. He watched her hand caress another man, her smile enchant another man, her body pressed against another man.

He couldn’t stand it.

Ethan had to scream. He had to make a scene. He had to show everyone – Charlotte especially – that Charlotte was his. He had to prove that their relationship was not just something; it was everything. He couldn’t allow everything to disappear like a bad dream. He couldn’t be replaced so easily…

One night.

It took her one fucking night.

Had he meant that little? Was he the only one so desperately in love?

His deep-rooted abandonment issues prickled at his consciousness, begging to roar back to life and add to the fire. Ethan couldn’t stand it. For fuck’s sake, he had to do something.

Ethan stood, not knowing what he would even do. Scream? Punch the guy? Drag Charlie out of this bar and beg her to forgive him?

Whatever he was going to do, it didn’t matter.

Because Charlie leaned in to kiss Jeremy.

Her lips parted, and she held her head high – like a woman who knew she’d won. Her lips brushed on the edge of his mouth, poised to whisper a suggestive secret, but from across the bar, she caught sight of a pair of hollow blue eyes.

Instantly, they were both sober, and all the fury and vendettas disappeared and all they were left with was a deep sense of regret.

All the life drained out of Ethan when he saw her lipstick smear on Jeremy’s skin. The blinding jealousy soured into betrayal. Charlie couldn’t fathom the look in his eyes – the dejection and unbridled pain.

Like Charlie was always bound to abandon him and Ethan was always meant to disappoint. Caught in their predestined roles and assigned trauma, Charlie wished she could step off the stage.

And just like that, the coin landed.

Charlie loved Ethan.

She loved him so much she couldn’t breathe. Her love swarmed her every nerve burned with emotion. It swept her up with such intensity that she could see nothing else. She loved him. She loved him! And… and she’d hurt him.

Staring directly at Ethan, ignoring the man who had become nothing more than an extra in a failed revenge montage and Charlie opened her mouth to speak. For a moment, she thought she might apologize to him – no, she knew she would. The painful throbbing in her chest demanded she did.

But as much as she couldn’t stomach what she’d done, she couldn’t apologize to Ethan.

She couldn’t crawl back into his bed and allow resentment to flourish. She couldn’t settle for less when she’d already demanded more – when she deserved more.

Ethan still couldn’t give her what she needed. Punishing him or apologizing did nothing to change that. The realization hit her like a sucker punch. She was so hellbent on revenge that she never considered the possibility that she would end the night with more anguish and shame than she had that morning. She forgot that pain wasn’t finite and injuring him wouldn’t be enough to heal her.

Hating him wouldn’t cure her, nor would loving him.

Nothing could cure her.

All she had to keep her warm was her regret – she shouldn’t have loved him. She shouldn’t have hurt him. She shouldn’t have done any of it. The fact that she had done it all would haunt her, just like he would haunt her.

Charlie’s cheeks burned with shame, and her mind swam with hopelessness.

She couldn’t fix this. She couldn’t fix them.

Faced with no other option, Charlie did the only thing she could – she ran.

Tossing out a weak excuse to Jeremy, Charlie rushed to the backdoor of Donahue’s and ran to the back alley. As the door slammed behind her, she gulping in the fresh air and heaved with desperation, waiting for the bitter cold air of this fucking city to give her some clarity.

Ethan flexed, his muscles instinctively knowing if it was his duty to be there when Charlie cried. Ethan took a step to follow, but he still didn’t know what he would do when he reached her. Scream? Cry? Beg for her forgiveness? Something told him that he couldn’t do any of it, and even if he did, it wouldn’t be enough.

Sienna didn’t hesitate.

She jumped up from her booth, abandoning everything for Charlie.

Sienna loves Charlie, he realized, She loves her better than I do.

The discomfort of knowing that his love was so inadequate compared to Sienna’s stalled him, and instead of chasing after the woman he loved, he stood still.

If I go, I’ll only make it worse, he thought.

But when he sat back down, he knew it was a lie. He was just a proud coward. His greatest sin was lying to them both by saying he could be more than that.

Outside, Charlie still hadn’t found a way to breathe. Everything was a choked sob, and she couldn’t tell if she was screaming or if her cries just felt like wails. The violence of her grief rocked her and left her unsteady.

“Charlie!” Sienna ran through the backdoor of the bar, ignoring the onlookers who glimpsed at the brief opening. All she cared about was Charlie, and upon seeing her, she sprinted towards her, wrapping Charlie in a hug before Charlie could process her presence.

Charlie crumbled into Sienna, gasping through sputtering cries.

“It’s okay,” Sienna soothed her, rubbing a circle on her back as she encouraged, “Cry all you need.”

“I kissed another guy,” Charlie managed, words garbled with tears.

“Barely.”

“I came to this fucking bar because I wanted to make Ethan jealous, and now I feel horrible.”

“That’s okay, Charlie.”

“I barely even did anything,” she heaved, “And it’s killing me. I saw his face, and I just… I…”

Charlie trailed off, dissipating into another round of heart-shattering sobs. Holding her, Sienna felt herself tear up, too.

“I love him so much,” Charlie’s voice cracked.

“I know,” Sienna sighed.

“I don’t know how to live without him – I really don’t,” Charlie confessed, “And I feel so fucking pathetic for it.”

“You’re not pathetic. You’re in love. It’s different.”

“He told me from the very beginning,” Charlie tightened her grip on Sienna, “He told me he would hurt me! And I knew it, too. For fuck’s sake, he’d already done it once. I spent that whole summer trying to become myself again, and just when I had, I went right back to his doorstep. I brought him back into my life, and I spent the last year lying to myself that he wouldn’t hurt me again.”

“You believed in him,” Sienna cooed, empathy coating Charlie with enough strength to catch her breath.

“I don’t know how to make my own coffee,” Charlie’s voice dropped. It slowly dawned on her that this was life.

She had to cry in back alleys in cold cities, wake up in the morning, and make her coffee. The daunting task of living the echoes of their life together haunted her like the ghost of all her past sins rolled into one man.

“I’ll teach you,” Sienna assured her.

She didn’t want Sienna’s coffee. She wanted Ethan’s.

“I’m so jealous of Ethan,” Charlie laughed – a sound marred by remaining sobs and lingering disappointment, “When everything went to hell last time, he got to run away to the Amazon. And we were only together for a weekend! This was a year. Hell, it was a fucking lifetime.”

“It was less than a year,” Sienna corrected with a soft smile, and she was relieved when Charlie laughed.

“Still. After a weekend, he got to run away to another continent, and after ‘less than a year,’ I’m shackled to Boston, where everything reminds me of what I’ve lost. Every time I step foot in that damn hospital, I feel like I’m followed by ghosts.”

Sienna paused, taking time to appreciate her words before she spoke. She didn’t want to say this. She didn’t want to lose anyone else, but looking at Charlie’s broken and despondent figure, Sienna knew she had to say it.

“Maybe it’s time you got the chance to run away, too. If anyone deserves a break, it’s you.”

Charlie’s lips parted, but she never spoke. She was stuck on the idea – on the freedom it presented. She knew she couldn’t. It would harm her career. It would mean giving up on Boston, and even temporary failure was too much to stomach.

But running away…

She’d never felt so relieved as when she imagined it.

“Maybe,” Charlie echoed weakly.

Sienna smiled sadly, squeezing Charlie again before finally untangling their embrace, “How about we go home?”

“You’re dragging me out of a bar because I cried?”

“I’m dragging you out of a bar because you’ve been through hell, and you deserve to cry and eat ice cream on our couch.”

Charlie was in no position to fight her. She would have rather died than walk back in that bar and face anyone who had just seen that shitshow, especially Ethan. It shattered her just to make eye contact. Anything more might actually kill her.

“I left my jacket inside,” Charlie chewed on her lower lip, debating abandoning the jacket in the bar to maintain her pride. She had other jackets…

“I’ll go get it,” Sienna offered, “I need to get my stuff anyway.”

“Okay.”

“Charlie.”

“What?”

“I love you.”

Charlie’s lips parted in a smile, and she meekly said, “I love you, too, Sienna.”

Satisfied that Charlie was okay to be left alone, Sienna crept back into the bar, hoping to garner as little attention as possible. A few residents noticed her, though they averted their eyes out of respect. Jeremy was still at the bar, looking confused and mildly embarrassed from all the attention. And Ethan – Ethan was standing by the door.

Sienna jumped when she saw him, startled to find him so close.

He hadn’t had the strength go out there, but he had to be near Charlie.

“Is she all right?” he blurted out as soon as Sienna was close enough.

“No,” Sienna responded icily. It was impossible to see her best friend so devastated and not instantly hate the man who caused it. “What the hell happened?”

“I – well, we had a fight – and she was mad and I – I don’t …” Ethan stammered, shaking his head before finally accepting, “It’s my fault.”

“I assumed so.”

“Do you think I should…” Ethan wistfully looked to the door, “Should I talk to her?”

Sienna knew Charlie was fragile. One longing, loving look from Ethan and she might fold.

“Can you fix it?”

“What?”

“If you talk to her, will you make it right? Are you going to be what she needs, or are you just going to hurt her again?”

Ethan was taken aback. He hadn’t expected such bluntness from Sienna.

If Ethan didn’t have solutions, all he would do was hurt her. Charlie deserved better.

And fuck, Ethan still didn’t know how to fix it. He was a cancer to Charlie’s life. He killed all the best parts about her and still asked for more. He was too much of a coward to even comfort her outside, yet he wanted her now. He hadn’t changed his mind – he still wanted to keep their relationship a secret and protect her career. He’d already done too much to hurt her. He couldn’t also takeaway the one thing she’d worked her entire life to achieve.

“No.”

Sienna sighed in disappointment.

Ethan did, too. He probably hated himself more than Sienna did in this moment.

“Then, no, you shouldn’t go outside.”

He knew she was right. That was the worst part.

“Is she okay though?” he asked so softly that Sienna hardly recognized the voice.

He didn’t deserve to know she would be all right, yet looking at him now, Sienna couldn’t deny him that one comfort.

“She will be.”

“I love …” Ethan stopped himself, dropping her gaze as he silently chastised himself. He didn’t deserve to say he loved her. “I’ll pay for your ride home. Just make sure she’s okay.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. We both know I don’t deserve it.”

She didn’t correct him.

Instead, Sienna walked to her table, collected her bag, grabbed Charlie’s jacket, and gathered her friends to rally around Charlie. Sienna, Aurora, Kyra, and Jackie quietly filtered out of the bar. A few minutes later, they took the car Ethan called for them. By the time they got back to the apartment, Charlie’s favorite takeout food was waiting at the door, ordered in Sienna’s name to hide his tracks. In the morning, she’d get flowers – again signed by Sienna because Charlie didn’t need to feel guilty for the gift.

But tonight, Ethan raised a toast to himself and how he’d fucked everything up.

Not that he deserved all of the blame.

But they each took it for themselves anyway.

-----

A/N: I'm nervous I'm making them too frustrating/annoying, but I adore my dramatic, angsty characters.

[openheartappreciationweek]

Celebrating Open Heart

It's been two years since the Open Heart series concluded, but we're still not over it. So, we're celebrating all things OH & Edenbrook during Open Heart Appreciation Week, taking place from March 20-27, 2023.

All fanworks are welcome (old and new) for any day of this event — fics, series, masterlists, edits, text fics, moodboards, headcanons, fanart, comics, playlists, confessions...and on and on.

EDIT: MC is used as a generic term below to represent any character that's the focus/main character of a fanwork. Read this post for clarification.

Day 1 - Monday, March 20: Your MC Tell us about your MC, their personality, likes, dislikes, hopes and dreams.

Day 2 - Tuesday, March 21: Resident Life Share perspectives about your MC's friends, fellow residents/co-workers, support system, mentors, mentees/interns, LIs and more.

Day 3 - Wednesday, March 22: Family Found Does your MC have a family, found family or are they on their own? Siblings, relatives and/or cousins?

Day 4 - Thursday, March 23: Relationship Meter Tell us about relationships--platonic, romantic or otherwise--in your OH fanficverse.

Day 5 - Friday, March 24: Alternate Universe Got an AU to share? Show us how OH characters and dynamics change (or not) in other realities.

Day 6 - Saturday, March 25: Future Endeavors We never got to see our MC as an attending. Tell us how your MC and other characters navigate the future.

Day 7 - Sunday, March 26: Free Day Share anything you like to show appreciation for Open Heart and its characters.

March 27: Event Masterlist

Guidelines:

Tag @openheartappreciationweek on new posts and reblogs of previously posted content.

If your work has mature or NSFW content, please label it as such and use appropriate warnings.

Please add a ‘read more’ page break to avoid long posts and hide sensitive content below the line. This prevents exposing other fans to triggering/disturbing or mature content.

Participate as many times as you like. There's no limit to celebrating your favorite book and characters.

You can combine submissions for this event with others such as @choicesficwriterscreations, @choicesflashfics, @choicesmonthlychallenge and more.

All works will be reblogged within 24-48 hours and compiled in an event masterlist.

EDIT: Late submissions accepted until March 31.

Can't wait to celebrate everything Open Heart with you!

[liaromancewriter]

Favorite Ex

Premise: Ethan runs into an old flame, and it brings some much-needed closure for both of them.

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. Angst. Words: 1,570

A/N: Submission for @choicesmonthlychallengenov2024 prompt day 26: "regret" and @choicesprompts Angstgiving prompt "what could have been"

Ethan Ramsey needed a drink.

The annual National Medical Symposium in Miami, with its focus on cutting-edge medical advancements, had been interesting enough. Still, the obsequious flattery that went hand in hand with his increasingly rare visits to medical conferences got on his nerves. He couldn’t care less about what others wanted from him, but after all these years, he knew how to play the game.

Naveen would joke that with age, he’d gained maturity and wisdom. His wife would just snort and proceed to tease him about getting soft until he took her to bed just to prove her wrong.

She pushed him out of his comfort zone. And for her, he was willing to embrace the unknown.

A few years ago, he hadn’t been so… flexible. He reflected absently, walking into the busy hotel bar and scanning the room for an empty seat.

Or as willing to admit that he needed someone to come home to. Someone who understood him and filled the empty holes in his heart. He couldn’t deny it anymore, not even to himself.

Seeing a patron settle his tab and leave, he rushed to grab the padded bar stool. His shoulders dropped at the thought of sipping smooth whiskey while decompressing by exchanging sexy texts with his wife.

Should’ve insisted she accompany me, Ethan thought wearily, raking one hand through his hair.

He placed his phone on the bar, smiling as he often did at the sight of their wedding picture on the screen. He traced one finger down her laughing face, the photo a reminder of the moment she'd insisted he smile—really smile—for once.

He wondered when he’d become such a sap. Maybe she was right, and he was getting soft in his forties.

“What’ll be, sir?” The bartender asked hurriedly.

“Whiskey, neat.”

Ethan froze at the familiar voice behind him. He hadn’t heard it in years, but he’d know it in a dark room with his eyes closed.

Surprise had him swiveling on the stool to face her. Sparkling green eyes met shocked blue ones.

The years fell away as if no time had passed since that fateful night at Donahue’s when she’d correctly guessed his drink order on her first day as an intern at Boston’s Edenbrook Hospital.

“And don’t be stingy,” Dr. Cassie Valentine said, a smile tugging at her lips. “Judging by the look of him, it’s been a three-finger kind of day.”

“Hello, Dr. Ramsey.”

Ethan opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat, refusing to come. He inclined his head in greeting instead, a poor acknowledgment of the woman who’d been the first to breach through his walls.

The one who’d made him break all his rules and not give a damn about the consequences.

His mind flooded with memories. The quiet intimacy of watching the snow fall outside as they cuddled after making love. The warmth of holding hands on their way to Derry’s for coffee and a stolen moment of peace. The thrill of sneaking glances across the diagnostic team’s office despite their resolve to keep things strictly professional at work.

If it hadn’t been for his temporary but all-consuming love affair with Cassie, would he have even given Joanna a chance?

Ethan hoped the answer was yes. He loved his wife, and it would be an incredible disservice to what they meant to each other for him to believe otherwise.

“Still a man of few words, I see,” Cassie teased as she slid into the empty seat beside him, resting her chin lightly on her hand.

“You know me well,” he said gruffly, swallowing the lump that had lodged in his throat.

“I thought I did,” Cassie cooly inclined her head, but the laughter in her eyes betrayed her. “I still can’t believe you’re here. Remember when we attended this conference when I was an intern?” She giggled. “You hated every minute of it and weren’t exactly shy about saying so.”

Ethan hunched his shoulders. “I wasn’t that bad.”

He had a very different memory of that time. It had nothing to do with the symposium and everything to do with a moonlit balcony and his morals drowning in the heady scent of her perfume.

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, you were!”

The bartender returned with his drink, setting the lone glass in front of Ethan. The man looked questioningly at Cassie, but she shook her head.

“Not in the mood?” Ethan asked as he lifted his glass.

“Can’t,” she said, placing one hand on her belly.

Ethan stilled, a mix of complicated emotions he didn’t dare examine too closely surging through him.

Whenever he thought of Cassie, which wasn’t as often now as it had been in those early years, he still saw the resident who worked side by side with him during the day and slept in his bed at night.

The one he’d fallen in love with but could never confess the words to because there was a timer on their relationship. When her residency ended, she’d move on, ready to conquer the medical world with her amazing diagnostics instincts. And he’d be left behind. Again.

So, he’d held back and let the words fade into the ether.

It had been for the best, Ethan reasoned. Her eventual departure hadn’t lessened the hurt, but it had been cleaner.

He hadn’t been looking for love again, but one day, he bumped into a red-haired chef at the farmer’s market, and his life tilted on its axis. Literally, in this case, since he found himself falling to the ground and grabbing her on his way down.

So, he burned his dreams of what couldn’t be and allowed himself to believe in a new and permanent love.

In the last few years, he’d heard of Cassie’s accomplishments; her groundbreaking research, the accolades that followed. The diagnostic medical community was small, after all. He’d felt pride at seeing her star rise, convincing himself that was all it was. Just pride. Nothing more.

Until now.

“Congratulations,” he said softly, the word heavier than it should have been.

He forced a smile, willing himself to ignore the ache that stirred, a reminder of what could never be. He had made peace with it. Or so he thought. Yet here she was, and peace felt like a lie.

“Thanks,” Cassie said with a wistful smile. “I’m still in my first trimester, so we’re keeping it on the DL.”

She tilted her head, her gaze dropping briefly to the wedding ring on his left hand. “You’re married?”

“Yes. Two years next month.”

A silence fell between them—heavy, unfamiliar, and uncomfortably awkward. The rowdy laughter of a group of physicians erupted nearby, breaking through the tension like an unwelcome intrusion.

Cassie glanced toward the noise, her lips twitching into a faint, distracted smile before her gaze returned to him.

Ethan fought to keep his gaze steady, trying and failing to ignore the curve of her lips or the way her stylish blonde hair framed her timeless features. He remembered its softness against his skin as she nestled against him before drifting off to sleep, their hands still touching when they woke the next morning.

Joanna wasn’t into cuddling. She was often too tired after a long night at the restaurant and preferred sleeping on her side, her back to him.

Until this moment, Ethan had forgotten he enjoyed the intimacy of a lover wrapped around him. Cassie had once called him a world-class snuggler, and he’d cherished the title as if he’d won a Nobel Prize.

They had been happy. So, why couldn’t they make it work?

“Are you happy?” she asked eerily, picking up on his ambivalence.

He wanted to say yes. He was happy. Hadn’t he been reflecting on just how much a mere ten minutes ago? So, why was he hesitating?

Shame spiraled through him. He adored Joanna, and he loved their life together.

And yet, a part of him still wondered about the road not taken. Maybe it was time he stopped.

He drew in a long breath. “What happened to us?”

Cassie slid him a guarded look. Her fingers curled and uncurled in her lap.

Ethan didn’t think she’d respond and opened his mouth to take the words back.

“You never asked me to stay.”

He sat back, poleaxed.

“We went from gold rush to cold touch,” Cassie said, sadness clouding her features. “As my residency was ending, I could feel you slowly pulling away from me. And still, I waited for any word from you, something to give me hope that we had a future together.”

Ethan could hardly move, let alone speak at the confession.

“You were my best nights and my worst. I cried myself for weeks after, and then I let us go.”

Cassie slid off the stool and smoothed down her dress. “I’m glad I ran into you. I’ve wanted to say these words to you for the longest time but never had the courage.”

Her eyes softened as she took a step back. “You will always be my favorite ex. Goodbye, Ethan.”

And then she was gone, her scent lingering until that, too, was an ephemeral memory.

“And you will always be mine,” he uttered silently, reaching for the phone and the one he had chosen to be his forevermore.

He and Cassie were finally where they belonged. In the past.

----------------------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @justyourusualash

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Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @cariantha @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[headoverheelsforramsey]

Love Again

Book : Open Heart (Book 2)

Pairing : Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Meera Bose) || Feat. Tobias Carrick

Category : Angsty Fluff

Summary : He is watching his best friend fall in love for the second time and desperately praying that it doesn't lead to disastrous consequences like the first time. (Aka Open Heart Book 2 told from Tobias Carrick's point of view)

Warnings : Mentions of the maitotoxin attack

Rating : General

Word Count : 1569

Trope : Third person POV, People find out about them, Traumatic Event

A/N : This is my submission for @tobias-carrick-appreciation-week Day 3 : OH 2 and @aprilchallenge : Love is in the air. Some of the quotes have been taken directly from Pixelberry's Open Heart Book 2. Hope you guys enjoy it, happy reading! ❤️

Chapter 6

Tobias Carrick didn’t expect to meet his long lost friend turned foe today, certainly not under the humongous roof of the third richest man in America, competing against him for the sake of saving his hospital. Yet, here he was, staring at Ethan Ramsey in flesh and blood. He looks like he hasn’t aged a day, though the beard and glasses make him look more matured than he acts to be.

Hirata and Mirani following Ramsey like puppies as usual. He recognises the other doctor, from their encounter at the deli a few days back. He did not learn her name, but was shocked to see her as a part of one of the most prestigious diagnostic team in the country. A resident in her second year missing out trivial diagnosis like cyanosis, did Edenbrook and Ethan Ramsey forget how to teach?

He was enjoying this little arrangement that Bloom came up with, never missing out on a chance to one-up Ethan Ramsey. But when his “friend” stormed out the heavy wooden doors he was not surprised but disappointed. He was rather shocked when his protege followed him without thinking twice.

Before following Mr. Bloom inside he could see Ramsey and Bose in a heated argument through the glass panels. He was surprised further because in all the years he had known Ethan Ramsey he had never seen an attending talk to him that way, much less a resident, had his “friend” changed that much? His surprise continued when Ramsey came back for a chance to crack this case, but he didn’t let his face show. Does this mere resident have special persuasion powers? He decided to put his head in the game instead, because he was playing to see his “friend” lose.

Chapter 8

The sun shone brightly, the smell of hot dogs and beers engulfing the atmosphere this was one day in a year, Tobias pretends he followed his childhood dream of playing softball professionally. The doctors from both the hospitals mingled about, he had so many people to greet but in the sea of known and unknown people he certainly didn’t expect Ethan Ramsey to be there.

He has been going against Edenbrook for almost half a decade and never in all those years had he ever seen or ever expected the infamous Dr. Ramsey to grace them with his presence. What changed? He thought and almost immediately saw Meera Bose beside Ethan.

She was a decent player he thought, throwing the first pitch and being responsible for Tobias Carrick’s out was enough proof of that. But he couldn’t ignore the small smile at the corner of his “friend’s” lips whenever Bose threw a perfect pitch.

Old habit’s die hard and Tobias thought rubbing the case of Stephanie Hill while grabbing a water was the perfect plan. He raised an eyebrow when the young resident said “paitent care isn’t a game.” Good to know Ramsey passed down his virtues to his residents. But the fire he saw in Bose’s eyes on mentioning her friend’s betrayal mirrored the fire he had witnessed in his own “friend’s” eyes more than ten years ago due to a different betrayal.

The fight had grown heated but when Ethan took a protective stance in front of Meera giving Terrance a death threat Tobias was astounded. He had known this man for a very long time, was Ramsey falling for her? Because he hadn’t seen him this defensive since… before he could finish that thought, chaos broke free.

The final innings could have gone better, but one thing that always set Carrick apart from Ramsey was the ability to accept defeat. He watched as Bose ran towards the Edenbrook clan, her friends and colleague wrapping her up. As he turned to leave he watched Ethan join the crowd his eyes soft on Meera’s browns a playful smile on his lips, hands brushing lightly. Tobias’s earlier suspicion returned and as a diagnostician he thought he had an answer, but as one of Ethan Ramsey’s oldest “friend” he could do with some more evidence.

Chapter 9

Logging into his tablet, Tobias looked suspiciously at the recent activity. Ethan Ramsey, at Kenmore? He didn’t have any ongoing research projects and Ethan is not the type of man who likes to take an afternoon walk around the neighborhood.

“Doctor, the patient is ready for you,” the nurse called. Tobias nodded, opening his new patient chart and getting to work, making a mental note of catching up with Ramsey before he leaves the premises.

Tobias stopped Dr. Simpson in the middle of his presentation, was that Meera Bose? He rushed out of the patient room following her still not believing his eyes. But when he saw Mirani with her he knew something was up. Three members of the Edenbrook diagnostic team cannot be behind enemy lines at the same time co-inccidently. Calling security Tobias makes a run for it.

The two doctors make a narrow escape and he comes out just in time to see his “friend” zoom away from under his nose.

“Well played Ramsey, we’ll get you next time.”

Chapter 11

The news of Senator Ed and and his aide had spread like wildfire. Transfer patients from Edenbrook kept Tobias fairly busy, but he didn’t know why his thoughts drifted back to Meera.

“How was she doing?”

“Did they have any answers at all?”

“Is she not going to make it?”

“How was… how was Ethan doing?”

Tobias found himself choking on his own breath. In need of fresh air, he put down his tablet and took shelter in a supply closet. He doesn’t remember when was the last time he was here. More unpleasant thoughts circled his brain, Tobias punched the door out of frustration and helplessness. The door opened, and Aurora came in, the frustration and helplessness reflected on her face made Tobias decide that it was time to set aside all the age-old differences between him and Ethan and their respective hospitals.

Nothing less than a crowd was formed in front of the patient room. All of Meera’s friends, family and well-wishers stood by her side. All of them dejected and crestfallen. Ethan Ramsey stood at the forefront his heart burdened with melancholy, but too stubborn to show it in his face. Tobias had known his “friend” long enough to see right through the facade.

Tobias straightened his face, “and you won’t be alone.”

Ramsey’s face shifts from shock to thankful in a mili second and Tobias stops him right there. Everyone says their goodbye one by one and follows Baz and June into the lab. Tobias notices his “friend” not making a move.

“Shouldn’t we call Dr. Ramsey?” one of the doctors suggest.

“No. He should be there with her,” Tobias smiled. “This is where he will do the most good. Besides, I know what I am doing.” He flashes his signature smile only to receive an eye roll from Hirata.

Tobias monitored the sodium-potassium level, no this won’t work, he shaked his head. Facing another dead end, he decided its better to take a small break before getting back to work. He exited the lab and walked towards Meera’s room. The corridor lights had been dimmed, he felt like a ghost wandering the halls. He stopped in front of the window, only to see Ethan all suited up, holding Meera as close as he humanly could with the plastic barrier in between them.

He needed no more confirmations. He was sure his “friend” had fallen head over heels for Meera. It had been a long time since he had been this candid with someone, it had been so long since someone had broken all of his walls and reached for his heart and it had been so long since Ethan’s heart had shattered. Tobias was immature back then and partly responsible for what had happened but today he was not going to let that happen a second time. With renewed determination Tobias walked back towards the lab.

Just like Tobias had guessed, Ethan was still there in his hazmat suit helping Meera vomit into a basin when they returned the next morning. The child-like grin on his face on hearing about the antidote was unlike him. Tobias explained the chemistry behind their discovery, expecting atleast a couple questions from Ethan but the absence of that made him realize that he was a changed man. The sheer delight on Ethan Ramsey’s face as he administered the serum was one of a kind. He and Meera locked eyes, a silent understanding between them.

The waiting part was the worst, but once the latest lab results showed no trace of toxin in Bose’s bloodstream the entire team gathered around the patient room. Ethan sprinted through the doors, and Meera flew into his arms, tears breaking free. Ethan looked outside holding Tobias’ gaze for a little longer than necessary, while Tobias returned his signature smirk.

Chapter 17

The rumor mill had a field day with the news that the great Ethan Ramsey had kissed a resident, Meera Bose in an atrium full of people. While the betting pool regarding how long they were dating and whether Meera slept her way to the top were the hottest topic in and around the hospital, Tobias Carrick was just content that his diagnostic skills remained undefeated and he still knew his "friend" through and through.

Thank you so much if you have read till here, it means the world to me. Hope to see you go on other different adventures with me, Ethan and Meera, till then sending love and hugs your way! ❤️

Perma : @starrystarrytrouble @quixoticdreamer16 @coffeeheartaddict2 @liaromancewriter @tessa-liam @gryffindordaughterofathena @crazy-loca-blog @zahrachoices @bex-la-get @potionsprefect @schnitzelbutterfingers @a-crepusculo @custaroonie @aishwarya26 @jamespotterthefirst

Ethan x Meera : @jerzwriter @wanderingamongthewildflowers @takemyopenheart @mvalentine

+ @choicesficwriterscreations , @openheartfanfics , @tobias-carrick-appreciation-week & @aprilchallenge

Please let me know if you want to be added or removed. 💜

[potionsprefect]

After The Celebration

Pairings: Ethan Ramsey x Victoria Clarke

Summary: It’s the day after the hearing

Rating: General Audiences

Category: Fluff, Angst

Victoria watched him walk away, planning in her head how she was going to explain to Sienna and Elijah what they just saw. She wasn’t embarrassed, but she would’ve preferred that they didn’t see Ethan, mainly to save him some face.

Victoria headed back into the building and got in the lift. Last night with Ethan was amazing but she knew it would come to an end soon. She knew there has to be distance between them but still, she couldn’t help but feel sadness at the thought of never being that close with him again.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the lift doors opening on her floor and Victoria walked back to her apartment, unlocking the door. To her disappointment, Sienna and Elijah were still in their spots, grinning at her as she walked in.

“So.” Sienna said, setting down her spoon.

“So what?” Victoria said in a high pitched voice that even surprised her.

“Oh come on Victoria. What was all that about?” Elijah said.

“Honestly? It was something that has now come to an end.” Victoria said.

“So there was something before?” Sienna asked.

“Yes. But it’s nothing now. And that’s how it’s staying.” Victoria said.

“I can’t believe it! You and Doctor Ramsey! When did it start?” Elijah said.

“He was helping me with the investigation. And then one thing led to another.”

“I didn’t realise he liked you like that.” Elijah said.

“Does anyone else know?” Sienna asked.

“No. We were careful to make sure people didn’t find out. It could’ve caused more problems.”

“So why has it now come to an end?” Elijah said.

“Because if we’re going to work together then we can’t be together. Because he would be accused of favouritism and I’d be accused of sleeping my way into the role. I couldn’t deal with anymore talk of me.”

“You shouldn’t have to hide because of that. People should learn to mind their own business.” Sienna said.

“He said no. That’s why we had last night.” Victoria replied.

“I’m sorry Victoria.” Sienna sighed.

“Don’t be. I’m okay. I knew it wasn’t going very far anyway but the hope was there.” Victoria shrugged

“You seem to be taking it well.” Elijah said.

“You know me. Always putting on a brave face.”

“But you shouldn’t have to! Maybe you should talk to Ethan and try and change his mind.” Sienna said.

“I’ve thought about it, believe me. Many times if truth be told. But I see his point. And Ethan is usually right so I can’t see why he would be wrong. But maybe one day. For now, we need to stay friends. And I don’t want to jeopardise our friendship.” Victoria replied.

“I didn’t realise Doctor Ramsey had many friends.” Elijah laughed.

“Victoria seems to be one of only a few.” Sienna laughed.

“He may have a hard exterior but deep down he is really nice.” Victoria said.

The door to one of the bedrooms opened and Jackie walked out, hair dishevelled and eyes puffy. “Morning.” She just about said before slumping down into the spare chair.

“How much did you drink last night?” Sienna laughed.

“Enough for a very good reason. Slightly regretting it now though.” Jackie laid her head on the table.

“Well you’ve missed the relationship of the century.” Elijah joked.

“It’s not a relationship!” Victoria said.

“Why what’s happened?”

Sienna and Elijah turned to Victoria, smirks on their faces.

“Doctor Ramsey.” Victoria said.

“What about him?” Jackie asked.

“Me and Doctor Ramsey.”

“Oh… oh?! Wait what? When did this happen?” Jackie sat up.

“Last night.” Sienna said.

“Actually…” Victoria trailed off. “There was another time.”

“You mean this isn’t the first?” Elijah said.

“No. But after last night, there will be no more.” Victoria said.

“Why did you not go back to Ethan’s?” Sienna asked.

“Surely you’ve been to his apartment? What’s it like?” Elijah said.

“I still can’t wrap my head around it. You and Doctor Ramsey?” Jackie said.

“I know. But it just happened. We didn’t plan it.” Victoria replied.

“What happens now?” Jackie said.

“Nothing. Last night happened and that’s it. We can’t be in a relationship and work on the same team. It wouldn’t end well.” Victoria said.

“Who cares what anyone else thinks. It’s your life!” Jackie said.

“I know but it has to be this way.” Victoria said.

“Anyway…” Sienna said changing the subject. She could see that Victoria was getting uncomfortable with the constant questions. “You had something to ask us didn’t you Victoria?”

Victoria sensed Sienna was helping her out. “Yes! I was wondering how you would all feel about Aurora moving into the spare room.”

“I thought she was living with Harper?” Elijah said.

“She was but after the year, she says she needs some space from her Aunt. I said we have a room but I’d have to ask you lot first.” Victoria said.

“I’m fine with it. She like all of us deserves a fresh start.” Sienna said.

“Me too.” Elijah agreed.

Everyone turned to Jackie who looked at them incredulously. “Why are you looking at me like that? I’m fine with it. I’m too hungover to retort.”

“Then that settles it.” Victoria laughed getting up. “I’ll let her know.”

She headed back to her room, shutting the door behind her and reaching for her phone on the bedside. Victoria quickly text Aurora the good news before she turned to her contacts.

She debated pressing dial on his name, she still had so many things she wanted to say. She knew they couldn’t make a go of things, it was sad it had to be this way, but she understood the reasons why.

Victoria set her phone on the side. She had to move on, Ethan was her past, she now had to look to her future.

Whatever that may look like.

We all know what the future looks like 😉

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[txemrn]

Hi there! Was there an item Tatum and Ethan bought for their baby that became special because the other parent chose it. Like, not something they bought because they would need it but because they saw it and wanted them to have/wear. 🥹

Hey, anon! Thank you so much for this super sweet Ask! I hope you don't mind, but I turned it into a story that I hope you enjoy! *hugs*

Book: Open Heart (post-series)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x f!OC (Tatum Erikson-Ramsey)

Word Count: 2000 (+/-)

Summary: As they prepare for baby Ramsey's arrival, Ethan surprises Tatum with a special, heaven-sent gift.

Warning: 🔞 For mature audiences only 🔞 fairly fluffy; a little language; a little pregnancy talk; discussion of Tatum's brother Trevor (Army vet, deceased)

A/N: I am participating in @choicesflashfics prompt challenge for week #22 (22 weeks! You go girl!); I will be using prompt #3: I am at my wits' end with you (it will be in bold). Special thanks to my dear sister in writing crime @sfb123 for helping me with this title. Some of these characters and plots belong to our friends at Pixelberry. This was not preread or beta'd; please excuse my errors.

~🖤~

"Tate? I'm back, babe."

Kicking off his loafers, Ethan tosses his keys into a decorative bowl next to the front door of their new townhome. The place is eerily quiet, save for a gentle August breeze rustling through the open windows and a family of bluebirds singing a cheerful melody nearby. 

Carrying a brown paper bag, Ethan stops at the base of the stairs, listening intently for his wife. "Tate?" He jogs up a few steps. "Tate? I've got breakfast. Are you up–?"

Suddenly he hears a thunderous crash from inside their master suite downstairs, followed by a distinct shriek for help.

"Shit! Tatum!" Ethan races back down the steps, plowing through their bedroom and into their opulent shared en suite bathroom "Tate?"

A soft string of giggles echo from his wife's walk-in closet, crescendoing into a boisterous laugh with snorts.

"Baby, are you–oh my God!"

Lying on a mound of discarded clothes is Ethan's heavily-pregnant wife, being pinned awkwardly against the wall by her own belly. She pushes against one corner before trying to reach for a nearby built-in shoe rack, but ends up rolling right back into place, her legs stuck up in the air.

"Help!" She squeals into more titters. "I'm gonna… I'm gonna pee on myself!"

Ethan drops the brown sack, rushing over to Tatum's side. He wraps one of her arms around his neck as he squats down, slipping his hand underneath her back. "Ready? Here we go."  With one smooth effort, he lifts Tatum to her feet. He cradles her round abdomen while placing a tender kiss to her forehead. "Jesus, Tate… are you alright?"

She nods, dabbing at her wet eyes as she calms down her snickers.

"What happened?" His voice panics. "Are you hurt? Did you fall?"

She rests a hand on his stubbled face, gently stroking his cheek with her thumb. "My little worry-wart," she croons, pulling him in for a fervent kiss. She gently rubs the expanse of her stomach, her hand brushing against his. "I'm fine. Really. We're fine," she smiles endearingly. "I was rearranging my clothes and, well, I guess there were too many garments. The valet rod broke in half."

"Did you hit your belly?"

She shakes her head. "No. I fell on my butt, but luckily I already had all of these clothes on the floor, so it felt like landing on a cloud."

"I think maybe we should go check on the baby. NST. KB. Just to be safe–"

"Look at you, Mr. Smartie-pants," Tatum jokes before fluttering a sweet kiss on his mouth. "Are you an OB, or do you have a hot wife that's an OB?"

Ethan scrunches his face. "Hot?"

"Hey!" Tatum scoffs, slapping his arm playfully. 

Ethan steps forward, pushing Tatum against the wall before nipping at the delicate skin of her neck. "Try insanely hot." He drags his lips to the crook of her collar bone. "And sexy," he hums across her shoulder, his tongue stroking small circles.

"You forgot hungry–"

"Mmmm… is she now?"

"Rams…"

"Right, right," he smirks, straightening himself out before reaching for their morning bagels. "You'll just wait until I'm half-asleep or walking out the door for that kind of hunger–"

"You don't seem to mind," she sucks in her lips, taking her breakfast as they both take a seat in her closet. "Did they give you–?"

"Mustard?" He raises a quirked eyebrow. "You know I asked for extra. But the looks I got–"

"Don't care." Tatum takes a big bite into her Asiago bagel and schmear, drenched in mustard. She looks up at Ethan who is intently watching her. "Want some? It really is good–"

"I'll take your word for it," he takes a bite of his lox-stuffed bagel. "So," he chews, "what's the plan–err, what was the plan for today?"

"I need to get rid of stuff, and if that rod breaking isn't a sign, I don't know what is," she giggles, taking another bite. "I've got several pairs of pants that I couldn't even fit into a year ago, and I figure,” she rubs her belly, “I will never see that size again, so why am I holding onto them?" She motions to a back corner. "And I have all of those formal gowns that have only been worn once. Once!" Ethan nods as she continues, "so I need to figure out if I'm going to recycle a look or just get rid of ‘em."

"Sounds like a good plan." They fall into a comfortable silence as they finish their breakfast.

"Also," Tatum wipes her mouth, "I think maybe it's time…" she looks at a pile of black and camo-colored shirts on the floor.

"Trevor's clothes?" Ethan knits together his eyebrows. "Are you sure?"

Tatum nods, taking a deep breath. "He would've been upset with me hoarding them all this time. And–" she sighs, "I'm still going to keep a few items, but I don't need all of them, you know?"

Ethan nods in understanding. "If you're absolutely sure–"

"Yeah," she blinks away the gathering pools in her eyes, turning to smile at her husband. "I'm sure. I guess I was scared I would somehow lose part of him or my memory of him, but…" she shakes her head, Ethan instantly taking her hand in his. "That sounds stupid, right?" She chuckles as tears slope down her cheeks.

Ethan shakes his head, squeezing her fingers endearingly. “Not in the least bit.”

Tatum looks up, wiping away her tears before looking at the mound of t-shirts and sweats. "He would've been such a good uncle."

"He is a good uncle, Tate." Ethan's eyes meet Tatum's. "His life will forever be an example to our child of what it means to love unconditionally, what it means to be a hero."

"Damnit, Ethan," Tatum chuckles as streams pour down her face as she silently nods.

He crawls over to his wife, slinking his arm around her shoulders before pulling her close. Placing tender kisses in her waves, he looks at Trevor's old shirts. "We don't have to get rid of them, Tate. Let's just box them up and put them in storage."

"No, no," she wipes her nose on a napkin, "I'll be fine. They need to go." She tenderly pats his thigh, clearing her throat. "Ready to tackle this?"

Ethan kisses her forehead. "Let's do this."

------

[3 Weeks Later…]

"Tate?"  Ethan's bellow echoes through the house. "I thought you were going to help me with this."

"In a minute."

The Ramseys received a special delivery earlier in the day from their good friends,  the Santiagos: a custom-designed, convertible wooden crib. It wasn't completely dismantled, but it still needed to be put together in the nursery. The expectant parents made plans to assemble it that evening, but Tatum was taking her time in the kitchen.

Ethan sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose before he finally trudges down the stairs.

"Tate. I swear to God, if you're eating mus–" his jaw drops as he watches his wife squirt mustard on a strawberry. "Tatum Ramsey!"

"What?" She innocently looks to her husband, wiping the smear of mustard off the corners of her mouth. 

"The mustard… I… I am at my wits' end with you!"

"What?" She puts a dollop on an apple slice.  "It's not like I'm making you eat it–"

Ethan scoffs, "But I have to watch you eat it. On everything."

"At least I'm not eating dirt or laundry detergent or chalk."

Ethan turns up his nose. "Women and their hormones–"

"Uh, mister. Is this the part where I get to be that woman? The woman who makes it abundantly clear that you actually had a huge part–and I do mean huge–" Tatum braces her back with her hand as she turns and points to her nearly-full-term blossomed belly. "-- part in all of this?"

Ethan chuckles, his lips curling as he saunters closer to his wife. "I think that officially makes me a dad: getting blamed for shit for simply, well, being the dad." He softly pecks at her lips... then turns up his nose. “You even taste like mustard.”

“And you think your morning breath is better?” She teasingly reaches to pinch his nipple, but he swats her away. His eyes widen as a mischievous, toothy grin crawls across his face.

“My morning breath doesn’t taste like pungent bitter sauce, meant for a hotdog.” He reaches for her side to tickle, but she playful bats his hand away. However without warning, his other hand swoops in, his fingers wiggling against her other side, digging into her skin.

Tatum lets out a squeal as she kicks and swings her arms. “Ethan Jonah! You are such a–” She grips at his chest again, but before she can twist, he grabs her wrist, lifting it above her head.

“Such a what, huh?” He playfully taunts.

“You are such a rat!” Tatum struggles, finally pulling away from his grip. “You play dirty!” She rubs her wrist; but suddenly, she reaches up and pinches his nipple before twisting it.

“Ow!” Ethan flinches. He grabs his chest, gently massaging the dull sting. “And you think I play dirty?”

Giggling, Tatum scurries up the stairs.

“Tatum Lenae, this means war!” He chuckles as he chases behind her, taking two steps at a time to reach the second level of their home.  He looks around the landing before padding lightly down the hallway.  “Tatum,” he singsongs, “come out, come out wherever you are.” He hears a small gasp coming from the nursery, a knowing grin growing on his face. He takes a deep breath, stifling his laughter. Abruptly, he pushes open the double doors. “Gotcha!”

But Ethan’s face suddenly falls.

Tatum twirls around, her big blue eyes drenched in tears. “Did… did you do this?” Her voice falls hoarse with emotion as she holds out her arms.

Ethan tucks a hand into the pocket of his jeans as he bashfully combs his fingers through his wavy locks.  “Yeah.” He steps forward, his voice timid and gravelly as he gazes into her hands. “I… I did. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind.”

In deep rich earth-ones of olive green, espresso browns and mirky blacks, Tatum flounces out a soft, jersey-knit baby blanket, covered in familiar, worn-out phrases: ‘Army’; ‘Peace through Strength’; ‘Hooah’. 

‘Lt. Trevor McCord Erikson’.

His shirts. They were all there.

“Rams,” she chokes out in a whisper as her fingers trace across the stitching and the reinforced letters, “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Is it okay–?”

“Baby,” she hugs it tightly to her chest, “it’s absolutely perfect.”

Ethan lovingly takes his wife into his arms as she presses her face into his neck. He nuzzles his nose into her hair, tracing mindless figures on her back, allowing her to take in the moment. 

He knew this gesture would stir up deep emotions for his wife.  One of the hardest challenges of Tatum’s life was continuing on without the one person who believed in her, who loved her, who rescued her. Sure, she had Ethan now, and she couldn’t have dreamt in a million years to have someone so perfectly matched by her side; but no one could replace Trevor.

As she finally catches her breath and settles down, Ethan helps hold up the blanket for her to slowly inspect each detail. “You said,” he whispers, “that he would be mad if he knew you were hoarding these in your closet; but I think he’s more upset that he can’t be here to watch you become a mother, to hold his niece or nephew, to watch them grow. This way… he can”

Tatum lifts her chin, capturing Ethan’s mouth in a tender kiss. “Thank you,” she sniffles, “thank you so much, baby.”  She presses the soft fabric to her face as tender memories of her brother warm her heart. “Is it… alright if I use it? Until the baby comes?”

The corner of Ethan’s lips curls as he nods his head. “Of course... Just don’t get any mustard on it.”

~🖤~

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[the-pale-goddess]

On a Night Like This - Ethan Ramsey x MC

He can almost hear the bells in heaven and the riot in hell as the gentle brush immediately turns ravenous, effectively blurring the line between right and wrong.

This moment is worth any risk.

The iconic Miami scene was captured by the most wonderful and talented gem, Anna [@ dzb.art / IG] 💙💛 That soft glow emanating from their hearts was her genius idea! I’ll be staring at this masterpiece forever 😍

The quote comes from the first kiss fic I posted on ao3 last year - you can find it here.