#cue the drama

[catspawcreates]

They will take good care of his spark…

Inspired by my lasting love for these characters in the crazy robot soap opera.

[coffeeheartaddict2]

When Life has other plans (5/16)

Surprises

Book: Open Heart (AU)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC Casey Valentine

Warnings: language, sexual references

Word count: 3405

Category: angst

Rating: Mature

Summary: A cure is found, a confrontation, a surprise result which leads to a serious discussion of where to from here.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Pixelberry

Authors note: I can smell Brazil from here so enjoy a less dramatic chapter.

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Landry got the testing kit and the address for Naveen from the hospital and took Casey to Naveen’s residence. They left the city and found themselves at a lake house. Landry was surprised that he lived so far away from the hospital. Casey had also assumed that Naveen lived close by too. They made their way up the driveway and Casey spotted a figure on the small jetty.

“Dr Banerji” Casey calls out several times. Naveeen is startled but was pleasantly surprised to see her. Landry, with the testing equipment in tow, struggled to keep up.

“Lovely to see you, Casey and we are out of the hospital, please call me Naveen.”

Casey was relieved to see Naveen alive and she told him that she thinks she has figured out what is wrong with him. Naveen listens to the reasoning and is impressed with Casey, even more than what he already was. He agreed to the testing and they found that the infection was A Baunamii and they found out which bacteria phage was causing the other issues. The issue was that the A Baunamii is a superbug which Naveen chuckled at. “It seems fitting that the hospital would kill me.”

Casey thought but what if we tip the scales in favour of the bacteriophage?

Landry was beside himself.

“W-w-what? That would kill him!” Exclaims Landry,

“Phage therapy…” began Casey

“We do not know about that and if we get the math wrong?”

Naveen coughed to gain both Casey’s and Landry’s attention. “We all know someone who is an expert..”

Casey could not grab the keys quick enough. I will return, says Casey.

She makes her way to Ethan’s building. Luck was on her side, getting a car park right out front. She lets herself into the building. She makes her way to his apartment. Ethan is still in bed which is surprising to her but then she remembers the night before. She straddles him and he wakes up. He is dazed, then confused, especially when Casey tells him she figured it out. She explains how she got to her conclusions. He feels like an idiot for not thinking about that possibility and then he is proud of her, for doing what he failed to do in not giving up. He then tries to get up but the alcohol consumption from the day before has caught up with him. Casey said she will make him her hangover cure. She goes to the kitchen, gets the juice, the paprika and the ghost pepper and blends it up. It smells interesting as ever and she gives it to Ethan. He pours a small glass for Casey and she drinks it. Ethan is cured and then he goes to get dressed. Casey kisses him.

“What was that for?”

“Luck”

“Well I am going to need more luck” says Ethan before he kisses her again. She makes him a coffee and then they head to Harvard to make the phage therapy. They do this successfully. They make their way to Naveen’s lake house. Ethan remembers Casey mentioned a Dr Olsen helping her so he asks who he is.

“He was in our group, but not anymore.”

“What happened?”

“Since Miami I have had charts go missing, had medications changed on patients, thankfully no harm was done but there were a few instances where it could have been very different. There was also a period where the nursing staff were rude to me. The final straw was the anonymous tip off to the Martinez Family about Teresa.” Casey took a breath. “ I had no idea who was working against me so much and working a case with Aurora Emery helped me realize that the enemy had to come from within and I confronted him and he did not even deny it.”

Ethan’s hands gripped the steering wheel as Casey told him all that had been happening.

“And you are trusting this son of a bitch?” He said through gritted teeth.

“We had little choice, Jackie, Elijah and Sienna have been watched like hawks since the investigation. We needed testing equipment and we needed to get Naveen’s address. Believe me I wish it was different.”

“Is Naveen in danger?”

“No, Naveen was adamant about wanting to receive the phage therapy.”

Ethan nods and starts to prepare to see Naveen again. He had seen him at a distance since he walked out of the hospital that day but had not spoken to him since. He now felt extra horrible about having given up on Naveen, especially when Casey clearly had not.

“He will understand Ethan, hell if it was not for me helping Landry pack his stuff I would not have had the thought that led to a treatment.”

She quickly squeezed his hand before letting go. They arrived at the lake house. They make their way into the house. Both are relieved to find Naveen still alive, telling Landry about his career.

Ethan apologizes to Naveen for giving up on him.

“Nonsense my dear boy, I know you gave your all.”

Naveen’s eyes go to the cooler that Ethan is carrying.

“Is that the therapy.”

“Yes.” Said Ethan, “It was done in a hurry…”

“I am sure you got everything right my boy.”

Ethan nods and he administers the phage therapy. Naveen slowly drifts into unconsciousness. Landry and Casey looked concerned but Ethan assures them that what is happening is normal. They go to pack up the equipment.

“Dr Olsen, Can I have a word with you alone?” Says Ethan as he stands up. Landry does not know what to think, alone with his medical hero.

Ethan cut right to the chase.

“The sabotage, stealing of Dr Valentine’s files, the smear campaign with the nursing staff, why did you do it?”

Landry is flabbergasted.

“What? How did you know about that?”

“That is none of your concern but what should be of concern is how those actions could have harmed the people that trust us with their care.”

“Casey did not deserve top spot, she had lackluster cases and was lucky, that and she was sleeping with you to gain favour.”

Ethan sees red.

“Dr Valentine had plenty of difficult cases. Some were allocated by me and others from other residents and attendings who saw that she had it in her to work those cases.”

“What so you are going to flat out deny that you were fucking her?”

“The work that Casey did with me in the treatment of the very man in the bedroom was kept separate and out of the rankings.”

“You did not answer my question.”

“My private life is none of your goddamn concern. If I was you I would be more concerned about where you will work next year. The acts of sabotage alone would make anyone question if you would be a good fit, not to mention the feedback I have on you, well let’s just say you will be lucky to get a position.”

Landry stood there stunned.

“What someone who potentially kills a woman could potentially get away with it and me, who told the family and also who works so god damn hard and not recognised fairly for it is exiled?”

“That sense of entitlement right there. That arrogance, the disregard for people’s well being, that is why you have received the feedback you have received. I know all about Mrs Martinez, she resented being in the hospital, she loved the staff who looked after her but she resented her existence. Many of us wished we could have done more…”

Landry interjected, “so you are ok with the fact she stole a drug and killed a woman?”

“Teresa knew the risk, she still said yes of her own volition. Yes she stole the drug but she was denied it through proper channels. If corporate greed was not a factor in the cure being disregarded then this would not have happened”

Landry was stunned. To him, medicine was black and white but he could not believe that the very man he idolized and tried to be like worked in the grey areas.

“B-b-but what Casey did was wrong…” stuttered Landry.

“Welcome to the real world, there is doing wrong for the right reason and what you did, doing right for the wrong reason. Our patients expect us to do what is best for them, for some it is simple but others not so much. What you have failed to grasp is that medical care is not always black and white. Casey understands this and that is why she is on top and that is why you keep progressively slipping. You are not a good fit for Edenbrook. What you did, if it got out it was you would make you difficult to trust and our staff and patients do not deserve that. To be honest I think you have no place in medicine and the only reason I am not physically harming you for what you did to Dr Valentine right now is because you helped her research a case that I could not solve. I want you gone from Edenbrook but your reference will not be the best because the overwhelming feedback about you is bad.” Said Ethan. He takes his leave to the bedroom while Landry is left standing there in stunned silence.

Ethan makes it to the room and Casey is still there. She squeezes Ethan’s hand.

“Do you want me there tomorrow, for the hearing?” He asks quietly, still frustrated that he would be unable to stand up there and testify for her.

“Only if you want too, it would be nice knowing I had someone else in my corner in the audience.”

Ethan smiles ruefully. “Well you better head off and prepare rookie.”

Casey squeezes his hand again, “I hope he pulls through.”

The silence on the car ride back is deafening. Landry contemplating where to from here and Casey hoping they were not too late and also about her career.

As a consequence she was wound tight. A part of her wishes she stayed a bit longer with Ethan, even though he would have been keeping an eagle eye on Naveen, she was certain that Ethan would have found a way to relieve some of her stress. Instead she had to resort to other methods to take the edge off, it helped but it was not the real thing and if she was being honest, nothing would come close.

Meanwhile, back at the lakehouse, Ethan received an email. It was from Dr Santiago, the head of the WHO team working in Brazil. He was accepted and was due to fly out in 10 days. Ethan was excited but there was a pit in his stomach. Two months away from Casey. He knew that he was deluding himself into thinking there were no feelings, just an arrangement but he was wrong, there were feelings, he was not sure what they meant but he was eager to explore them. He took some heart in that she was already aware that this was a possibility though, it still did not make it easier however.

Naveen made it through the night and Ethan was startled that there was a knock at the door. He was even more surprised to see Dr Olsen.

“I know you said that I have no place but I presume you need a break from watching over Dr Banerji. I would like to take over.”

Ethan gestures for him to enter. Ethan goes through what has been happening with Naveen. Ethan took Naveen’s car and drove back to Boston. He had a quick shower and got dressed and made his way to Edenbrook to witness what he hoped would not be a sham of an ethics hearing. He saw Casey and marveled at the cut of her shirt.

“Even though I can not testify for you, all the best of luck” he said, he then stood closer and whispered “I wish I could kiss you right now.”

Casey nodded and headed in. She sat down at the podium and Declan Nash sat behind her, trying to

throw her off. Casey kept her composure and answered all the questions with ease. Ethan felt she chose her patients well also. Then he received a message. He ducked out and was greeted by Louis Martinez.

“Am I too late?”

“No,” says Ethan, “the hearing is still going.”

Louis nods and makes his way into the auditorium. He makes his way down to where Casey is.

“Are you the doctor who gave my mother the drug?”

“Yes it was me…” Casey wanted to continue but Luis hugged her tightly.

“Thank you. We were angry at first, we were apprehensive about her traveling but I received a photo of her standing outside Sacre Du Couer and the smile… I had not seen that smile since I was a boy and I realized that Teresa would not want this. As much as she resented being here, she saw you as her adoptive family. Thank you for making her dreams a reality and the law suit is dropped.”

Ethan starts to feel quietly confident. The doctors that Casey had recruited spoke on her behalf. Harper went to call for a vote but there was one more surprise that Ethan had not even seen coming. The door opens and in with a walking stick enters Naveen.

Everyone in the auditorium is shocked to see him.

“Glad to see that my spot is there. And be quiet Dr Cyrus, it is not filled so therefore I will take the spot as it is still technically mine. Now, yes I quit but in reality I was quite literally dying. This young lady here, knew of my predicament but had a thought which lead to a diagnosis and treatment. Thanks to Dr Valentine and Dr Ramsey, I am still here. This young lady did not give up, from what I understand and know of her has always thought for what is right and for getting the best outcomes for our patients so since I vote is called for, I vote that we retain Dr Valentine with full privileges. One by one the panel votes. Unanimous in keeping Casey on. Casey was gracious in thanking the panel. Ethan was in shock but then was proud. He saw the fruits of what he had taught her about making a path and never giving up. He finally saw Naveen talking to Harper.

“Don’t worry Ethan, there will be no consequences for you treating Naveen in secret, at his request.”

Ethan nodded before saying, “About my exit paperwork Harper?”

“Since it has not been started it will be very easy to reinstate you, if that is what you would like.”

“I would but I fly out in 10 days to Brazil for two months to work with the pandemic efforts in the Amazon.” Said Ethan.

“We can sort that out,” said Harper. “Now let’s get the ball rolling.”

Finally Ethan makes his way to Donahue’s. He is greeted by Casey and they suggest going back to her place for a private celebration. They catch a cab to her place. Ethan says he can not stay but after several rounds he can not bring himself to leave. They had discussed that he would be working at Edenbrook but with no word on the competition he could not even begin that discussion. After a few hours sleep Casey stirs in his arms.

“I thought you could not stay?” She says groggily.

“I could not bring myself to leave.”

Casey kisses him softly. He runs a hand down the curve of her waist, hoping for another round before he leaves.

“I want too, and my housemates know but you do need to get home.”

Ethan lets out a small groan of frustration. He begrudgingly gets dressed and Casey and Ethan walk out. Elijah and Sienna are in the kitchen. Both of them greet Dr Ramsey. He greeted them back and took his leave.

A few hours later Ethan and Casey’s paths cross. She welcomed him back and they made their way to the atrium for morning announcements. Harper stood with Naveen. Harper announced that she was stepping down as chief of medicine and she instilled Naveen as the new chief. Naveen then spoke.

“It is a great honour to be named Chief. My first act as Chief is to end the competition and award the Junior Fellow on the Diagnostics Team to Dr Casey Valentine. If not for her I would not be alive today.”

Ethan was proud of Casey, saving Naveen aside he knew she worked hard, cared, asked the questions that needed asking and as such deserved to be number one but then he was furious. Her being on the team meant that she was his subordinate and he knew a relationship of any type would tarnish the work she did to get there. He could see that Casey was just as shocked as he was.

“What do we do now?”

“I do not know.” He said, not wanting to start a conversation he did not want to have.

Casey went about her work in a daze. She had never anticipated Naveen coming back as chief and awarding the position. She certainly did not want to take for granted that she would have won the ethics trial. She knew that they had been an arrangement but she got the the distinct impression that Ethan wanted more and if Casey was being honest, so did she. She was shaken from her daze by an alert on her phone. It was a message from Ethan asking her to come over after her shift. She said yes.

End of shift came and she made the familiar journey to Ethan’s apartment. She made her way up to the apartment and they had dinner together.

“So this morning was unexpected,” said Casey hesitantly, “I knew you had your job back but I had not anticipated the rest.”

“I knew there was a chance the competition would end, I think that Naveen would be chief. To be honest I thought he would come back as team leader and be an attending…”

“There is going to be no us, is there?”

Ethan nods. He then takes a deep breath,

“With the rumours of you and me, it would tarnish you. I know you earnt that spot fair and square, and saving Naveen would have been hard to top, Ethics hearing aside and I understand Naveen wanting to reward you…”

“An out in the open relationship would give them plenty to target me with…”

“I hate how misogynistic the medical profession can be, I would have some blow back but nowhere near the amount you would.”

“How are we going to go back to a pre Miami footing?”

“Whilst keeping an eye on Naveen after the phage therapy I received an email stating that I was accepted to go down to Brazil. I did state this to Harper when I was offered my job back and I will still be going down. The time apart will hurt but I feel that will help us.”

“I know deep down we should not but do we want to keep the arrangement going until you leave?”

Ethan walks towards her and kisses her hungrily.

“Thank God you want to as well” he whispers in her ear as she picks her up and takes her on the kitchen bench. It was quick and intense. They cleaned up their dishes and continued their evening in the bath and eventually the bed. A majority of those nights Casey spent at Ethan’s, soaking up the last of an arrangement that both wished could be more. The day came for Ethan to leave. It was bittersweet. It was the end of the arrangement but the work Ethan would be doing is something he loved doing and Casey was eager to start her fellowship. She knew it would be hard being apart but she knew they needed it to get back onto a professional mentor/mentee footing. Ethan had already warned her that keeping in touch would be difficult so she knew any contact would be difficult. They said goodbye at the departure lounge and Casey left. She made her way to the hospital and commenced her shift while Ethan boarded a plane, a tumult of emotion.

——-

Authors note: I can smell the drama from here. Have your Christmas leftovers handy for the next two chapters-

Tagging: @jerzwriter @jamespotterthefirst @genevievemd @cariantha @zealouscanonindeer @alj4890 @tessa-liam @youlookappropriate @socalwriterbee @potionsprefect @liaromancewriter @bex-la-get @a-crepusculo @crazy-loca-blog @binny1985 @schnitzelbutterfingers @trappedinfanfiction @lucy-268

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

[unknownpisces002]

….something’s plotting & in the works….

[dear-someone-letterstomyself]

No no no like, I NEED y’all to understand:

I was a Twilight girly.

I LOVED The Vampire Diaries.

My teen years were spent living through the PEAK of 2000’s YA fantasy romance.

You have no. idea. how SEATED I am for My Golden Blood 👏🏼 it’s cheesy, it’s ridiculous, the cgi effects are SO silly, the SOUNDTRACK IS INCREDIBLE 😂 the romance began 12 seconds into the fist episode AS IT SHOULD!! Tong IS Bella Swan, he IS Elena Gilbert and his hunky hero of a troubled broody vampire is here to protect him and be sexy about it and WE. LOVE. THAT. FOR. HIM.

This show is everything, it’s got insta romance it’s got “you’re not like other girls” but GAY and I’m living for it.

10/10 no notes, in these trying times this is the show we deserve. It’s a straight up gift actually.

[babybison]

behind the scenes 📸💟

[pharawee]

"His face was covered, but I know it was a man. Tall and wearing black clothes."

—SPARE ME YOUR MERCY · การุณยฆาต · Episode 01

[pamrak]

when you're not sure if it's your heart or hers that's beating very fast

FRIENDLY RIVALRY, EP3

[gunsatthaphan]

"it's been 8 years."

[numbuh424]

this is the only way we could have met. goodbye, L Lawliet. 🌙

[courfee]

James who is a successful author and Regulus who is an expert in some very niche field and James' newest book happens to make references to said niche field. Only James got it wrong and Regulus absolutely drags him on social media for it, founds some kind of James Potter hate club and insists the entire book is bad because what kind of author doesn't even do proper research

[lemonycranberries]

new headcanon (autistic thame) acquired

[unknownpisces002]

pyramids and rendezvous are at 50/50 right now.

[seleneprince]

When the Vanserra-Archeron twins find out that Nyx is courting their beloved friend, Zinnia (Tamlin's daughter), they're not amused at all. Specially Sylvie.

She doesn't care about her cousin, has a borderline hostile dynamic with him, but for the most part he's just "that guy from Night Court she happens to share blood with". Neth is on better terms with him and she doesn't mind spending time with him, but they're not close enough to see him as family. She considers him more a long-distance friend.

Meanwhile, they adore Zinnia. They grew up with her. She's their godfather's daughter, their beloved Uncle Tamlin. They spent their childhoods jumping from Spring to Autumn frecuently just to see each other. They love like her a sister. Their families are on the same circle. In their eyes, Zinnia has always been this sweet girl they must protect and who only deserves the best.

Which it's not Nyx Archeron. Or any other brute from the Night Court. They're sure of it.

It's not just them. Literally, no one in their circle approves of this possible union, except Elain (because she knows things). Both Eris and Nesta are amused by the whole mess but he doesn't think they fit together and she doesn't want her to be at the Night Court . Lucien doesn't like it at all and neither do his and Elain's kids. And let's not get started on poor Tamlin, having to see his exes' spawn court his precious daughter so insistently.

Back at the Night Court, it's more or less the same situation. Rhysand is the only person that openly supports his son on this and even gives him advice on how to woo the girl (which is awful advice because he only tells him to do the same things he did with feyre, ignoring that not everyone enjoys those as much as she did). Feyre doesn't understand why he's so enthusiastic about becoming family with Tamlin. The rest of the IC know where Rhysand is coming from and don't dare tell Feyre the truth...

[kraymerman]

I wish grown-up Tessa was legit, especially since she seemingly acts so "out of character" between episodes 3 and 7. It shows just how much the destruction of Earth affected Tessa as a character. It's character development. Trauma changed her for the worse.

I imagine Tessa feels extreme guilt for her hand in what happened. She brought Cyn home, she gave her room to grow into the monster she is now, and near the end, even though she absolutely saw the warning signs, she was too stubborn, too eager in her vision of what Cyn could be that she became blind to what Cyn was. I can absolutely see a timeline where Tessa feels personally responsible for not only Cyn's rise to power, but for the utter destruction of her home and the death of her entire species. For all she knows, she is the last human in the entire universe (and thus the last human that will ever exist, humans are going to die with her and she knows it) and it's all her fault. She isn't worthy of being the last human to exist, at least in her eyes.

That is a mindset I can absolutely see driving Tessa to the dogged determination to kill Uzi that we see in episode 7. She's so desperate for redemption and to avenge humanity, to prove that she's worthy of being humanity's last torchbearer, that she's unwilling to accept any solution other than the complete destruction of any possible method Cyn could use to come back. Any less and she'll have proven herself to be the traitor of humanity that she already believes herself to be.

That's an absolutely heartbreaking turn for a character that was, before, so bright-eyed and optimistic, and I absolutely love it. That's the Tessa I wish we got.

[doueverwonder]

back to thinking about Gov making the regions intermingle, the Midwest and South was somehow the worst and best of all of them. What started off as Country Folk Shenanigans(TM) and a worrying amount of jello and/or cool whip based salads ended with a stand-off to see who was going to be impolite and leave first. They ended up having to send other states in to break it up.

[cinemaobscura]

The New Year That Never Came | Anul Nou Care N-a Fost (2024) dir. Bogdan Mureșanu