#Tom koracick

[naylasavannah]

[elitehanitje]

"AJ, I'm not your daddy." - Christian Cage

[emma-m-black]

Doctor White - Chapter Thirteen

Tom Koracick x OC (FanFiction)

This is a super rough draft of a Tom Koracick x OC story I've had in my head. I got a ton of chapters done, but then kind of his a block at a cliff hanger and I figure, perhaps if I post it, maybe I can figure out what to do next.

Rating is probably close to PG, don't think there is any spicey bits, pretty tame.

Read: Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve,

Chapter Thirteen

“I’d like to run another EEG,” Amelia said softly, her gaze lingering on Elizabeth’s pale, motionless form. The rhythmic hiss of the ventilator punctuated the tense silence in the room.

“Yeah, sure,” Tom murmured absently, his voice rough from disuse. He was slumped over in the chair beside Elizabeth’s bed, his hand clasping hers as though his grip alone could tether her to life. His bloodshot eyes were rimmed with exhaustion, a stark testament to four sleepless nights and the relentless tide of tears he couldn’t seem to stem.

Amelia hesitated, shifting her weight uneasily. “Tom, she will wake up. It’s only been four days. The tumor’s gone, her seizures have stopped… She will wake up.” Her words faltered, as though she needed to convince herself as much as him.

Tom didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he scrubbed a hand over his unshaven face, his gaze locked on Elizabeth. She looked so small, so fragile beneath the harsh glow of the overhead lights. The ventilator hissed again, each sound slicing through him like a knife.

“She’ll wake up,” he said hoarsely, his voice cracking. He leaned closer, his thumb brushing over the back of her limp hand. “You don’t want to die, Eliza. You told me you wanted to live. So fight. Please. I can’t lose you too.” His voice broke on the last word, and he quickly averted his face, swallowing hard.

Amelia cleared her throat gently. “You should get something to eat. The tests will take some time.”

Tom nodded stiffly and rose to his feet, his movements sluggish and reluctant. He released Elizabeth’s hand as though it physically pained him to do so and turned toward the door, his shoulders slumped.

In the attending lounge, the emptiness hit him like a physical blow. He moved toward his cubby on autopilot, his fingers trembling as they retrieved a small velvet box. Opening it, he stared down at the ring inside, its polished surface catching the sterile overhead light.

His breath hitched. “You promised me,” he whispered to the empty room, his voice thick with grief. “You promised we’d have more time.”

The creak of the door startled him, and he snapped the box shut, shoving it into his pocket just as Owen walked in.

“Tom,” Owen greeted, heading straight for the coffee pot. His gaze flickered to Tom’s haggard figure. “Can I get you one?”

Tom nodded mutely.

Owen poured two cups, setting one in front of Tom before pulling out a chair. “Any changes?”

Tom wrapped his hands around the mug, letting its warmth seep into his cold fingers. He shook his head. “No. Still the same.”

“She’s going to wake up,” Owen said firmly, his tone brooking no argument. He pushed the sugar and milk closer to Tom, though Tom ignored them.

Tom’s eyes lifted, and for the first time in days, there was a spark of something in them—resolve. “Owen, I love her. I know you and she... But I’m going to fight for her.”

Owen didn’t flinch. He met Tom’s gaze evenly. “Good. Because she deserves nothing less.”

“Dr. Koracick!” Hellmouth’s urgent voice cut through the moment, her blonde hair flying as she appeared in the doorway. “Come quick!”

Tom bolted from his chair, his heart pounding. “Is she awake?” he demanded, following her down the corridor.

“No, it’s… it’s her father,” she stammered, glancing back at him with wide eyes.

The commotion hit him as they rounded the corner.

“YOU WILL TAKE HER OFF THIS NOW!” a man bellowed, his voice echoing through the hallway.

Tom’s stomach twisted as he entered the room to find Wilfred, Elizabeth’s father, looming over Andrew. The younger doctor was trying in vain to calm the man, who was red-faced and livid.

“You have no right to keep her alive like this!” Wilfred roared. “This was never what she wanted!”

Andrew raised his hands placatingly. “Sir, I need you to step outside—”

“Don’t you sir me! I am her father! You had no right to ignore her DNR!”

“Wilfred,” Tom’s voice cut through the chaos like a whip, sharp and commanding. The older man spun around, his eyes narrowing as he took in Tom’s disheveled appearance.

“Tom,” Wilfred sneered. “I thought you were in Boston. Are you the one who did this? Did you ignore my daughter’s DNR?”

Tom inhaled deeply, forcing his temper to stay in check. “She doesn’t have a DNR. Elizabeth amended her papers when she was admitted.”

“That’s impossible! I have power of attorney over her. I should have been notified the moment she was brought in!”

“You don’t have power of attorney over her, Wilfred.” Tom’s voice was steady, almost unnervingly calm. “I do.”

Amelia and Owen entered quietly, positioning themselves near the machines as if to shield Elizabeth from the escalating tension.

Wilfred’s face turned a mottled shade of red, his hands balling into fists at his sides. “You’re lying.”

Tom didn’t flinch. “You can check the records yourself. But until then, I suggest you leave.”

“That’s impossible. Did you operate on her? As her doctor, you cannot be allowed to have any say over her life-saving directive.” Wilfred’s voice was sharp and trembling with fury, his face flushing a deep red that clashed with his stark white hair. “I’ve heard about the malpractice at this hospital, but I never imagined something like this.”

“I’m Elizabeth’s doctor,” Amelia interjected, her tone firm and calm, as two security officers stepped into the room. Wilfred’s cold gaze swung to her, scrutinizing her with disdain. “And it’s true. Elizabeth assigned Dr. Koracick as her power of attorney. She explicitly stated her wishes were for all life-saving measures to be taken.”

Wilfred’s expression twisted with disbelief and contempt. “And why would she do that? That is not my daughter’s choice! She would hate this indignity.” His voice cracked with frustration. “Did her tumor come back? Is that it? She wasn’t in her right state of mind, that’s the only reason she’d go against everything she’s always believed in.”

Amelia straightened, meeting his glare without flinching. “Yes, her tumor did return,” she said steadily. “But prior to its removal, Elizabeth was of sound mind and body. She had a seizure the night before her surgery, and we performed an emergency operation to remove the tumor. However, complications caused by the seizure combined with the tumor have hindered her ability to breathe on her own. Following her wishes, she has been on a ventilator since then.”

Wilfred’s eyes narrowed, and he turned to Tom, his words dripping with venom. “Are you sleeping with her? Is that it? She’s always been impressionable—infatuated with her professors. Are you doing this to spite me?”

Tom opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Amelia stepped in sharply. “Tom’s her fiancé.”

The room fell silent, stunned by her revelation.

“What?” Wilfred barked, his face twisting in disbelief. The others, too, froze, blinking at Amelia’s words.

Tom, caught off guard but resolute, reached into his pocket and pulled out the velvet ring box. He opened it and held the ring between his fingers, staring at the peppered stone with a mixture of tenderness and grief. His voice was quiet but firm when he spoke. “We talked when we found the tumor. She told me to do everything possible to keep her alive because she wanted to live.”

The room held its breath as Wilfred’s face darkened. Before anyone could react, his fist flew, connecting hard with Tom’s cheek. Tom staggered, his hand instinctively going to his face as he hit the ground. Owen and an intern immediately moved to help him up, while the security guards rushed to restrain Wilfred.

“Get your hands off me!” Wilfred barked, shrugging off one guard’s grip. “I’ll leave—but this is far from over. I’ll make sure my daughter dies with dignity. Mark my words, I’m filing a petition immediately.” He shoved past everyone in the room, almost knocking Jackson off balance as he entered to investigate the commotion.

Jackson’s eyes swept over the scene: Tom holding his cheek, blood trickling down; Owen supporting him; and Amelia standing between the ventilator and the door like a human shield. “What the hell happened?” Jackson demanded.

“Elizabeth’s father found out she’s in a coma,” Amelia explained curtly. “He’s furious that he doesn’t have power of attorney anymore.”

“Koracick, let me take a look at that,” Jackson said, moving toward Tom with a practiced eye.

But Tom pulled back, his jaw set. “I’m not leaving her alone—not for that maniac to come back and pull her plug.”

Owen, now assured that Tom was steady on his feet, placed a hand on his shoulder. His gaze dropped to Tom’s clenched fist, where the engagement ring sat, hidden. Letting out a sigh, Owen said, “I’ll stay with her. And I’ll make sure security has someone posted outside her room at all times. She won’t be left alone.”

Tom’s hand tightened around the ring, the metal biting into his skin, grounding him in his resolve. He nodded once, his voice low but filled with gratitude. “Thank you.”

As Jackson carefully patched up the gash on Tom’s cheek, the room was thick with unspoken tension. Neither man spoke until Jackson’s eyes drifted down to Tom’s tightly clenched hand. He raised an eyebrow. “Is the numbing agent not working?”

The question broke through the fog that had settled over Tom since Wilfred’s outburst. Blinking as if waking from a trance, he opened his hand to reveal the engagement ring pressed into his palm. Deep, angry dents from the prongs marked his skin, a painful mirror of the turmoil inside him.

“Tom,” Jackson said quietly, his gaze softening as it landed on the ring. “That looks like an engagement ring.”

Tom’s voice was barely above a whisper, weighed down with grief. “It is.” His shoulders slumped as he stared at the delicate band, the peppered stone catching the sterile light of the room.

“Is it Elizabeth’s?” Jackson asked, though he already knew the answer.

Tom let out a shaky breath, his voice thick with emotion. “I was hoping it would be.”

Jackson straightened, his curiosity now tinged with disbelief. “I thought she was seeing Hunt?”

“She is.” Tom’s gaze lifted, raw and pained. “It’s complicated.” He paused, searching for the words. “I wanted her to be sure, to know she wouldn’t have any regrets being with an old prune like me. So I pushed her toward Hunt. I thought we had time—time for her to figure it out, to choose me because she wanted to, not because I begged.” His voice cracked, and he looked down at the ring again. “I thought she’d want me as much as I want her.” He exhaled shakily, the weight of his regret pulling him down. “And now... now she knows how much I love her, and she’s lying there in a coma.”

Jackson let out a slow sigh, the weight of Tom’s words settling over him. “That’s why she changed her directive.”

Tom’s lips quirked into a bittersweet smile, though his eyes brimmed with tears. “She said to keep her alive so she could kiss me again.” A broken laugh escaped him, quickly swallowed by a sob as his grief overwhelmed him. “And now, I have to sit here, watching her waste away—because she didn’t know what was going to happen... because she didn’t want to die.”

His voice dissolved into ragged sobs, the dam of his emotions finally breaking. Tears streamed down his face as he buried his head in his hands, the engagement ring glinting like a cruel reminder of the life they could have had.

Time passed in a haze, the raw ache in Tom’s chest dulled only slightly by exhaustion. When he finally composed himself, he found his feet leading him back to Elizabeth’s room.

Owen was already there, sitting in a chair by her bedside, his gaze heavy with concern. Without a word, Tom moved to the other side of the bed and pulled up a chair. He sat down, the ring still clutched tightly in his hand.

Together, they sat in silence, each man consumed by his own thoughts but united by the quiet, unyielding hope that Elizabeth would find her way back to them.

Tom sat slumped in the chair beside Elizabeth’s bed, his head resting in his hands. The hum of the ventilator and the rhythmic beeping of the monitors were the only sounds in the room, a cruel metronome to his despair. He needed a distraction, anything to quiet the storm raging in his mind. His voice broke the silence, low and unsteady.

“I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory. This is where it gets me, on my feet, the enemy ahead of me. If this is the end of me, at least I have a friend with me. Weapon in my hand, in command of my men with me.”

The words faded into the stillness as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his gaze fixed on Elizabeth’s still form. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something—a flicker of movement. His heart lurched, and his head snapped toward her.

“Elizabeth?”

Her fingers trembled, almost imperceptibly, but it was enough to send a bolt of adrenaline through him. Without hesitation, Tom slammed his hand against the emergency call button.

“What’s happening?” Owen’s voice cut through the tension as his eyes darting between Tom and the patient.

Tom stood now, towering over her, his breath shallow and his eyes wide with hope and fear. “Her hand—it moved,” he whispered, barely trusting his own words. Then he saw the flicker of movement behind her eyelids.

Owen leaned closer, but before he could respond, Amelia burst into the room, followed closely by a team of nurses.

“Tom! What happened?” Amelia asked, urgency in her voice as she moved swiftly to Elizabeth’s side.

“Her hand moved,” Tom repeated, his voice trembling. “And her eyes—I thought I saw something behind her eyelids.”

Amelia didn’t hesitate. She pulled a penlight from her pocket and gently opened one of Elizabeth’s eyelids. Tom held his breath as the light illuminated her eye, searching for any sign of life.

“Her pupil is reactive,” Amelia announced, her tone bright with hope as she let Elizabeth’s eyelid close. She turned to the bed, her voice softer now. “Elizabeth? Elizabeth, can you hear me?”

Across the room, a nurse stood by the monitor, her eyes scanning the readings. “Doctor Shepherd,” she called, her voice steady but excited. “She’s trying to breathe over the ventilator.”

Tom’s heart clenched as he stepped closer, his eyes fixed on Elizabeth’s face. “There’s my girl,” he whispered, the words breaking as they left his lips.

He reached out, his hand hovering over hers, afraid to touch her, afraid this fragile moment might shatter. But he couldn’t stop the faintest spark of hope from igniting in his chest, a flicker of light in the overwhelming darkness.

Chapter Fourteen Coming....

[privatehousesanatomy]

this might be controversial but stay with me on this one.

tom koracick is just a happier, non crippled version of greg house. they even look alike.

[eddysocs]

Together, Whatever Comes — Tom Koracick x OC

Summary: Sophie has been experiencing a lot of brain fog lately, and it’s very much not like her. When Tom takes notice, he thinks he has the answer.

Word Count: 682

Warnings: Talk of pregnancy

Tom knew his wife, Sophie, better than anyone else. He could tell when she was thriving in her element, when she was the brilliant pediatric surgeon who commanded a room with her precision, charm and kindness. But lately, something was off, and it didn’t sit well with him.

He noticed it first in small things, like the way she’d leave her coffee mug in random places, her patient charts abandoned halfway through her notes, and in moments when he’d catch her staring into space in the middle of a conversation. It was all so unlike her, and it was beginning to worry him.

“Soph,” he broached softly, finding her in the on call room, where she was sitting on the edge of the bed, absentmindedly flipping through a medical journal without really reading it.

She looked up, startled out of her thoughts. “Tom, hey. I didn’t hear you come in.”

He sat beside her, gently taking the journal from her hands and setting it aside. “Now hear me out,” he started. “You’ve been all over the place lately, and it’s not like you. Not going to lie, it’s kind of scaring me a little,” he added with a nervous chuckle, always trying to keep things light.

Sophie sighed, leaning into his side. “I know. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just can’t seem to focus. It’s like my brain is working on a different frequency.”

Tom gently rubbed her back, his brow furrowed with concern for her. “When’s the last time you took a break? I mean a real break, not just five minutes between surgeries.”

“I don’t even remember,” she admitted with a small, tired laugh. “But this feels different, Tom. I’m leaving things halfway done, zoning out. That’s not me.”

“No, it’s not,” he agreed, thinking on it a moment. Then, something occurred to him —a thought that gave him pause. “Sophie…when’s the last time you, uh, had your period?”

She blinked at him, the question catching her off guard. “What? I—” She frowned, mentally counting the days, and then her eyes widened. “Oh my God, Tom, I… I’m late.”

He grinned, the worry in his eyes shifting to something warmer, more hopeful. “You might be pregnant.”

Sophie’s hand flew to her mouth as she stared at him, her heart racing. “Pregnant? But… we weren’t even trying.”

“I know,” he said, taking her hands in his, his voice losing its usual snarky tone in favor of gentle reassurance. “But we weren’t exactly not trying, either,” he quipped, with a playful wink.

Her mind raced as she processed the possibility. They had talked about starting a family, but it had always been more of a “someday” conversation. And yet, now that the possibility was real, she realized how much she wanted it, how much she wanted this next step with him.

“What if I am,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. It was part nerves, part excitement, though at the moment neither one was quite winning out over the other.

“Then I have to get to baby proofing the house," Tom joked.

“They’re not going to come out crawling,” she ribbed back at him. “I hardly think that’s our highest priority.”

“With my brains and your determination, they just might.”

At that, the two of them shared a laugh, finally able to feel like themselves again for a moment, and not just scared prospective parents.

"I love you, Tom," Sophie said with such tenderness that it felt like the first time she’d said it to him all over again.

“I love you too,” he whispered into her hair, kissing the side of her head. “Tonight, let’s go home, take a test, and find out for sure. Whatever the result, we’ve got this.”

Sophie nodded, a smile finally breaking through as the joy settled in. As they left the hospital hand in hand that night, Sophie felt the weight of the past few weeks lift off her shoulders. They were stepping into this new chapter of their lives together. And she couldn’t wait to see what the future held.

For @sicktember

Forever Tag: @baubeautyandthegeek, @kmc1989, @curious-kittens-ocs, @fanficanatic-tw, @gcthvile, @kenjioharashotspot, @immyowndefender

[forbescaroline]

FORBESCAROLINE'S 9K CELEBRATION TOP 20 GREY'S ANATOMY SHIPS (as voted by my followers) #19. Tom Koracick and Teddy Altman You make me laugh. You make me feel good. You make me feel like my life isn’t completely spinning out of control.

[ladydeath-vanserra]

imagine hating on Koracick when Owen Hunt is right there

[shes-a-badkid]

I’m rewatching some old Grey’s Anatomy episodes and I love how hard they tried to make us hate Tom Koracick. Like he’s sassy and can be an ass, but he also had to deal with his wife having a miscarriage and his ten year old son dying because of a freak accident where a baseball hit him just so in the head and killed him- and so not only is he heartbroken and grieving but imagine the guilt he feels being a brain surgeon and not being able to save his son. Like I’d be an asshole too. And then they have the audacity to like compare him to fucking Owen?! Like Owen sucks

[detective-jane-rizzoli]

[ratsbanes]

Tom Koracik, will you marry me?

[itslokkkkiiii]

Hot take

Tom Koracick is kind, loving, and underrated. He’s just got a hard outside shell because of his past.

[naylasavannah]

[newton8]

Owen is mad at Teddy because IT IS NOT THE FIRST TIME

[emma-m-black]

Doctor White - Chapter Ten

Tom Koracick x OC (FanFiction)

This is a super rough draft of a Tom Koracick x OC story I've had in my head. I got a ton of chapters done, but then kind of his a block at a cliff hanger and I figure, perhaps if I post it, maybe I can figure out what to do next.

Rating is probably close to PG, don't think there is any spicey bits, pretty tame.

Read: Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine,

Chapter Ten:

Elizabeth sat hunched over her microscope, glaring at the smear of liquified gel that refused to cooperate. She gritted her teeth as the frustration bubbled over, her patience finally snapping. With a sharp motion, she snatched a petri dish from the table and hurled it across the lab. The shattering glass rang out, and the stubborn gel compound slithered mockingly down the pristine white wall, leaving an oozing streak in its wake.

“Remind me not to make you angry,” came Owen Hunt’s teasing voice from the doorway.

Elizabeth barely turned her shoulders rigid. “The gel keeps liquifying. Everything works fine until it reaches internal temperatures, and then it all falls apart. Every test since getting the chemo solution has failed. I thought I had it figured out, and now…” Her voice trailed off, bitter with exhaustion.

“Maybe it’s time for a break,” Owen suggested as he stepped inside, hands stuffed into his scrub pockets. “You’ve been locked in here for days, and when you’re not in the lab, you’re tailing Amelia or covering her service. You need to get out of this hospital.”

Elizabeth turned her chair to face him, her tired eyes flashing defensively. “Don’t judge me, Mr. ‘I adopted a kid and moved in with my ex-wife.’ I think I’m doing just fine.”

Owen smiled faintly, unbothered. “Come with me to Jo and Alex’s wedding tomorrow.”

Elizabeth blinked at him, taken aback. “What?”

“Be my date.”

She opened her mouth to protest, her mind scrambling for an excuse—I don’t date coworkers, I don’t date at all,—but the words tangled on her tongue. Instead, she blurted, “What about Amelia?”

“She’s actually the one who told me to get off my ass and invite you,” Owen replied.

Before Elizabeth could process that, another voice interrupted.

“She’d love to,” said Tom Koracick, breezing in behind Owen with a coffee in hand and a smug smile plastered across his face.

Elizabeth leaned sideways in her chair, squinting around Owen. “Doctor Koracick?”

Tom strolled to stand next to Owen, his white coat pristine, confidence radiating off him like an aura. “He’ll pick you up tomorrow after your CT scan.”

“Um… okay then,” Elizabeth muttered, thoroughly outmaneuvered.

“It’s settled,” Owen said, flashing a satisfied grin. “I’ll meet you in the residents’ lounge at three-thirty.” With that, he turned and left, leaving Elizabeth staring at the empty doorway, her thoughts spinning.

“Earth to Elizabeth,” Tom teased, waving a hand in front of her face. When she looked up at him, her expression was a mix of irritation and confusion.

“Why would you do that?” she asked, voice sharp but not quite angry.

Tom’s smile softened, almost fond. “Do what? Get you out of this lab and into the world?” He shrugged with mock innocence. “The guy likes you. Cut him some slack. Go, have a drink, wear a dress. I hear there’s an open bar.”

Elizabeth sighed and stood, pushing her chair back. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

Tom pressed a hand to his heart dramatically, pretending to swoon. “Oh, I know. I’m sending the woman I’m pathetically pining over on a date with another man. The hero’s burden.”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t fight the small smirk tugging at her lips. “You’re ridiculous.”

He followed her toward the door, still wearing that insufferable grin. “Ridiculously handsome, I think you meant. You’ll thank me tomorrow.”

The next afternoon, Elizabeth sat rigid on the CT table, the machine whirring around her. Her mind kept drifting, bouncing between the wedding and the dull ache in her chest that she couldn’t quite name. “Come on, Tom,” she huffed as she sat up impatiently, grabbing the robe she’d brought. “I need to go. I’m already late. My scans are fine—stop stalling.”

Tom appeared from behind the console, a tight smile plastered on his face. “You’re clear to go.”

“Thank you,” she muttered, grabbing her things and rushing out.

As she disappeared, Tom sat back down and stared at the computer screen. A shadow loomed behind him, and Amelia entered.

“You paged?” she asked. The teasing smile on her face faded instantly when she saw the look in his eyes.

Tom handed her the folder beside him, his hand unsteady. Amelia opened it, her breath catching when she read the name. “Elizabeth White.” She turned to the scans, studying the image intently.

“Where is she?” Amelia asked urgently. “Does she know?”

“No,” Tom said softly, his voice cracking. “I let her go. She has a date to get to, and I couldn’t… I can’t.” He ran a hand through his hair, blinking rapidly to keep his emotions at bay. “I thought we had time.”

“Elizabeth, are you ready?” Owen’s voice broke through the low hum of the resident’s lounge as he stepped inside. A few stragglers were packing up for the day, and his gaze searched for her among them.

“Yeah, sorry! Just need to throw my shoes on,” Elizabeth called, rushing out of the bathroom. She came to an abrupt stop in front of him, slipping her final earring into place.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” Owen greeted, his eyes sweeping over her. The baby pink lace dress she wore was modest—knee-length with cap sleeves and a high neckline—but the way it hugged her made him pause. “You look… amazing.”

Elizabeth flashed a smile, a bit of color rising in her cheeks. “Thanks. You clean up pretty good, too.”

“You ready?”

“Almost.” She turned to her cubby, pulled out a pair of flats, and slipped them onto her bare feet in one smooth motion. Grabbing her purse from the bench, she tucked it under her arm and straightened. “Now I’m ready.”

Owen extended an arm, and she looped hers through his without hesitation. Together, they strolled out, making easy small talk about the weather and the view as they headed to the venue. Owen’s gentlemanly streak revealed itself when he opened the door for her, linking his arm with hers once more as they approached the gathering crowd.

“Where is everyone?” Owen asked aloud, his brows knitting slightly as he scanned the group.

“Oh good, you found it!” Meredith jogged up, breathless but grinning. “Half the wedding party and the priest went to the wrong church. Please—have a drink, mingle.” She waved them off and darted away again, mid-crisis.

Elizabeth tilted her head toward the drinks table with a sly smile. “Well, I think we should listen to the lady.” She tugged Owen toward a waiter pouring champagne and handed him a glass before raising her own. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.” Owen clinked glasses, taking a slow sip while watching Elizabeth’s disappear in one smooth gulp. She set the empty glass down and claimed another without missing a beat.

Owen raised an eyebrow. “Uh… something on your mind?”

Elizabeth met his gaze as though nothing was out of the ordinary, taking a measured sip from her new glass. “It’s been a while since I’ve done something like this.”

“Drink in public?” Owen teased, gesturing toward the abandoned glass.

“No!” Elizabeth gasped, swatting his arm with her purse, her laughter bright and unguarded. “Go on a date. This is a date, right?”

Owen chuckled, the sound low and warm. “Yeah, it’s a date.” After a beat, his tone turned more curious. “So, you and Koracick haven’t actually…?”

“No,” Elizabeth said quickly, the answer sharp and certain—maybe a little too certain. “Tom and I are just friends.” But as the words hung in the air, they felt off, like she’d spoken them to convince herself. Shaking it off, she turned the conversation. “So, where’s Leo tonight?”

“Amelia was supposed to bring him with Betty, but she got pulled into something at the hospital.” Owen’s eyes softened. “So you have my full attention tonight.”

Elizabeth’s lips curved into a smile, her eyes bright. “How lucky for me.” Then, more sincerely, “I mean, I hope the patient’s okay, but… I’m excited to have you all to myself.”

“I want another scan tomorrow morning.” Amelia said, her voice steady but tense as she stood in front of the glowing image of Elizabeth’s brain. “It could be a blip. It could be nothing.”

“It’s a tumor, Amelia.” Tom’s voice was heavier than usual, cracking under its own weight. “You know the recurrence rates in the first ten years. It’s back… and even if we remove it, the odds are stacked against her.”

He exhaled sharply and sank onto a chair, elbows on his knees, head in his hands. The chair groaned beneath him, the sound cutting through the thick silence. “I thought we had more time.”

“Tom…”

He ignored her, his voice growing quieter. “This could end her career before it even starts. I sent her on a date with another man because I thought we had time.” His hand drifted to his coat pocket, and when it reemerged, he placed a small black velvet box on the desk with a muted thud. “I wanted her to have no regrets. No doubts. I wanted…”

Amelia approached hesitantly, picking up the box. “Tom.” The whisper carried a sad weight. She opened the lid, her breath catching at the sight: a thin gold band crowned with a massive salt-and-pepper princess-cut diamond, framed in a halo of smaller, glittering stones.

“I bought it after we were chosen for the contest,” Tom said quietly, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. “It was sitting in some jewelry store window in Baltimore. I looked at it and I could just picture her wearing it… pinning it to her scrubs before surgery. Dropping it in the soap dish after forgetting it there for hours while she cooked dinner for our daughter.”

“Tom,” Amelia whispered again, wiping at the corner of her eye as a tear threatened to spill. She snapped the box shut and set it down gently. “We’ll save her.”

“Your apartment is nice,” Owen murmured against Elizabeth’s lips, his voice a husky tease as he paused for breath.

Elizabeth let her head fall back against the front door, a soft laugh escaping her. “You haven’t even seen the apartment.”

“Well, the door’s nice,” Owen shot back, grinning as he brushed his mouth against hers again. “Solid. Sturdy.”

“Maybe we should test it some more,” Elizabeth whispered, her smile mischievous.

Owen didn’t need more encouragement. He kissed her again, deeper this time, hands sliding down her sides before lifting her effortlessly. Elizabeth responded in kind, wrapping her legs around his waist as he pressed her harder against the door. The kiss turned urgent, each movement unspoken proof that neither of them had wanted this night to end.

Chapter Eleven

[kawipastell1928]

THIS!!!!

[eddysocs]

Speak My Language — Tom Koracick x OC

Summary: Tom and Sophie express the five love languages to one another.

Word Count: 901

Warnings: None, pure fluff

1. Words of Affirmation

"What are you reading," Tom asked, peeping over Sophie's shoulder as she perused an article on her laptop.

"An analysis of the so called 'Five Love Languages'. The original text itself is reductive. Surely these are five ways people can express love, but they’re not the be all end all the author claims them to be."

Tom grinned. He liked this side of her. The skeptic hidden under the sunshine persona she pushes so hard in the peds ward. "I agree," he punctuated with a kiss to the side of her head. "Five is such a small number. Ten maybe, but five? I don’t buy it."

Sophie chuckled and shut her laptop, shaking her head. "Tom, you ridiculous man. I love you."

"In more than ten ways?"

"In twenty," she replied, not missing a beat.

2. Acts of Service

It had been a long day. And a tough one at that. Sophie checked her watch. Shit, it was later than she thought. She gave Tom a call.

"You still here? I know I said I’d make dinner…"

"Already taken care of. The best Chinese takeout money can buy, a selection of movies for your perusal when you get home and one free cuddle session."

"Tom," Sophie practically sighed. She was still amazed at how thoughtful he could be sometimes.

"Bailey told me you had a difficult case and I thought you might want to take your mind off of it for the night. Maybe finish off that love language article you were reading. Whatever you want."

"Thank you. I’ll be home soon. I’m just leaving."

3. Receiving Gifts

"Dr. Kendall, I have something for you," one of her nurses told her, having finally caught up with her.

Sophie regarded the woman curiously. Had she forgotten some paperwork somewhere? Lost a patient chart? But the object she held in her hand wasn’t paper at all, but a six inch, flat, rectangular box. Sophie accepted the mysterious item from her hesitantly.

"Oh, and a note," she added, reaching into her pocket and taking out the folded up paper that accompanied her strange gift.

"…Thank you," Sophie replied, as graciously as she could amongst the confusion. Before she had time to think up any follow up questions, the nurse was already halfway down the hall, and Sophie was left with the box, and the note. She opened the box first. Inside, it contained a pen, bright purple, no doubt with dark purple ink within. Sophie smiled, sat the box on the nearby supply cart and unfolded the note to read.

I remember you saying your favorite pen ran out of ink, so I rush ordered another. — Tom

4. Quality Time

The rain had just cleared and it was Sophie's favorite time to go outside and clear her head, and since she had a moment, she did just that. Her feet led her to her favorite bench, just outside of Grey Sloan's main entrance. Yet she didn’t expect to find Tom already occupying half of the seat.

"Knew you’d be out here," he greeted with a sly smile. He was really starting to know her almost better than she knew herself these days. She sat next to him wordlessly, and let out a weary but contented sigh. She’d been on her feet for hours, but sitting here with Tom was a nice release from her busy day.

It was a mere fifteen minutes before she was needed back inside once again, but Tom had stayed by her side in silence the whole time, his arm thrown around the back of the bench, letting her lean into him if she liked. And she did. Her body was aching for her to stay still, just hold out a few more seconds before tearing herself away from Tom, but duty called. Still, for the rest of the day, she’d mentally be sitting on that bench with him, soaking up the smell after the rain.

5. Physical Touch

Sophie giggled when Tom came up behind her and whispered in her ear. His hot breath warmed her neck and his arms slipped around her waist, causing tingles to shoot through her body. He rested his head on her shoulder and watched her cook for a moment. It wasn’t often enough that they got to enjoy a proper meal together.

"You stir," Sophie instructed, and Tom took the wooden spoon from her hand, leaving one arm around her as he stirred the sauce. Sophie busied herself with checking on the pasta —nearly ready now— and Tom placed a quick kiss on her cheek. He let her go when the time came to drain the noodles, and they stepped around each other skillfully as they finished the preparation.

They ate in relative quiet for a change, and Tom reached out for Sophie's hand across the table. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles for a moment as they attempted to manage their spaghetti with one hand, a feat that got the better of them sooner rather than later.

After dinner, came another dance around the kitchen as they put dishes in the sink and the leftovers away in tupperware, every once in a while Tom brushing his hand across her lower back. And when they finally sat down on the couch together, all felt right in the world as Sophie ducked under Tom’s arm and scooted in close.

Forever Tag: @baubeautyandthegeek, @kmc1989, @curious-kittens-ocs, @fanficanatic-tw, @gcthvile, @kenjioharashotspot, @hyperdrivve

Sophie Kendall: @ghostsunderstoodmysoul