#doctor ethan ramsey

[gambit-blogs]

Hospital pics of Ethan and MC

[jamespotterthefirst]

I also asked Elsa this question but I wanted to ask you too!

Do you think being with mc, getting married and then becoming a dad would/will make Ethan more patient with the interns and residents, like change his approach a bit or do you think regardless of how his personal life has changed he’ll always be the way he is with interns/residents?

Love this!

I think no matter what is going on in his life, Ethan will always be a demanding attending. He told MC he was that harsh because he wanted the best doctors by his side. I believe that's a core belief of his that will never change.

He might ease up a little bit when his wife (also an attending) points out that he's scaring the interns and “how will you ever have good doctors by your side if you scare them all away?”

“If I scare them—”

“—then they aren't remotely prepared for what they'll face on a daily basis here. I know. You told me that ten years ago, old man.”

(And then she kisses his cheek but I digress)

If anything, I can totally see Ethan using his children when he verbally annihilates interns that fucked up really bad.

“My eight year old child could've done a better job than you did just now. And if you don't believe me, I'd be happy to bring him any day to demonstrate the proper way to put in an IV.”

[the-prophecy]

It's 1:30 and i realised that i probably have a thing for doctors-

[jerzwriter]

I was inspired by this OTP Question from @kyra75 : How would they react to someone flirting with them? Flirting with their significant other. Kyra asked for all four of my pairings, and I decided I'd write a little fic for each one. Tobias x Casey's can be found here. If inspiration hits, I'll write one for Trystan x Carolina (CoP) and Eli x Zoe (WTD), too. Thanks so much for the inspiration, Kyra!

Book: Open Heart (Book 3 Timeline) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Kaycee MacClennan (F!MC) Rating: Teen Words: 2,005 Summary: Ethan and Kaycee are on their way to the first conference they're attending together since making their relationship public. But it seems that everyone didn't receive the memo. Fortunately, they don't get jealous.

A/N: Participating in @choicesprompts Flufftober #7 - Acceptance.

The sun was just starting to peek through the Boston sky when Ethan and Kaycee emerged from the lobby of their apartment building, causing the befuddled doorman to do a double-take as Ethan nodded his way. Seeing him up at this ungodly hour (for a morning jog... of all things) was commonplace, but a Kaycee spotting this early in the day was almost unheard of. Still, she was all but glowing as she hopped into their waiting cab.  

Once nestled in the back seat, she leaned over and planted a kiss on her boyfriend’s cheek. “Finally! We're attending a conference where we don��t have to pretend we're not together anymore!"

Ethan smiled, but there was a hint of judgment in it. “Why is that so important? It’s not as if we intend to put on a soft porn performance in the reception area?”

“Which is really a pity,” Kaycee laughed. “I’m sure some of the old fuddy-duddies in attendance could use a pointer or two. It would be a public service, really."

This time, he smiled genuinely, pulling her under his arm with a chuckle. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

“Oh, I have some ideas,” she teased. “But seriously! Aren't you excited? We can hold hands, acknowledge each other, and we don’t have to pretend we’re unbothered when others flirt with us.”

“Well, that was never an issue," Ethan insisted. "I don’t get jealous. Jealousy is for people with trust issues, and I trust you.”

Kaycee raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smile. “And you should trust me, but, babe, you do get jealous sometimes."

“No," he insisted. " I don’t."

“All right,” she smiled with amusement. She didn’t push further, but in her mind, it was game on.

Santa Monica was beautiful at this time of year, and their resort was already bustling when they arrived, filled with tourists and conventioneers alike. Doctors from all over America were milling about, networking over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. It was an atmosphere that Kaycee thrived in, but Ethan did his very best to avoid. But one thing was certain: the atmosphere was ripe for flirtation, and Kaycee was already thinking of the long game.

She was the first to experience it, only moments after they arrived. As they headed toward the registration table, a tall, handsome surgeon from New York spotted Kaycee and all but jogged over to greet her. His hazel eyes were alight as he neared her. “Dr. MacClennan, correct?” he grinned with a bit too much confident charm. “We met at the cardiothoracic symposium in Chicago last year, and I’ve been looking forward to running into you again ever since.”

Kaycee politely returned his smile but stepped closer to Ethan, trying to give the suave surgeon an easy way out.

“That’s so kind of you to say,” she replied. “And you are?”

“Dr. Barrington from NYU-Langone,” he smiled, so taken in with Kaycee he never even saw Ethan standing by her side. “I was wondering if you’re free tonight. My hospital is hosting a private dinner, and most of the convention’s keynote speakers will be there. I’d love for you to join me if you can.”

Kaycee opened her mouth to reply, but before she could get a word out, Ethan spoke calm, but direct. “We have plans,” was all he said, but Kaycee swore his tone brought the temperature in the crowded room down ten degrees.

Suddenly aware of Ethan, the surgeon blinked. “Oh. Well, I see.” He turned to Kaycee, undeterred; there may have even been a wink. “Well, next time?”

Ethan cursed under his breath as Dr. Barrington walked away, and Kaycee stifled a laugh. “But you don’t get jealous, right, hon?”

“I’m not jealous,” he shot back. “I was just doing my part to save you from an extremely boring dinner when you have much better plans with me.”

“Oh, that's what that was,” she grinned, straightening the collar of Ethan’s linen shirt. “And what do those plans involve?”

He dropped his lips to her ear, whispering in a way that made Kaycee forget all about this little game. “It involves you, me, a bottle of champagne, our bed, and very little clothing.”

“You’re right,” she giggled, looping her arm in his. “Your plans sound much more appealing.”

Throughout the conference, there were many more flirtatious encounters, each more entertaining than the last. At one of the panel sessions, a beautiful conference organizer set her sights on Ethan. A statuesque woman with long, dark hair and dazzling blue eyes moved to Ethan’s side. The compliments she bestowed on him were flowing faster than the wine, and she leaned in just a little too close.

“Dr. Ramsey,” she beamed. “I’m Dr. Monica Rivera. I’ve been dying to meet you in person.”

“Have you,” he replied. “Then I hope you won’t be disappointed.”

“Doubtful,” she simpered, eyeing him from head to toe. “I’ve always found your research to be so inspiring,” she said, brushing her hand against his arm. “I’d love to discuss some thoughts I have with you. Perhaps over a drink later?”  

Ethan, who was entirely focused on his presentation, didn’t have the time for this. “I don’t drink,” he stated flatly.

Dr. Rivera’s face faltered, but she recovered quickly. “Well, then, over coffee?”

Ethan glanced at her, annoyance etched on his face. “I don’t drink coffee either.”

Kaycee, who had been observing the exchange from a few feet away, bit back a laugh as the woman walked away, clearly confused and discouraged. Ethan, focused as ever, was already looking over his notes when Kaycee appeared at his side.

“You don’t drink alcohol or coffee?” She laughed. “Are you about to tell me you aren't really a doctor? You don't like opera? Because that’s all that’s left of your identity, sir!”

He turned to her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Were you jealous, my dear?”

“What?" She laughed. "Not at all. Entertained? Yes. Amused? Without question. But jealous, nah. She’s got nothing on me.”

Ethan leaned over, the scent of Kaycee’s perfume intoxicating as he surreptitiously placed a kiss on her cheek. “Now, that’s the truth.”

As dusk began to fall, they met up at a cocktail hour by the pool. They had spent the majority of the day attending separate workshops, and Kaycee was looking forward to catching up with Ethan. But before they could enjoy a drink together, another attendee, this time a young doctor from Johns Hopkins, slid up next to her.

“You must be Kaycee MacClennan,” he said, flashing a bright smile. “You’re even more beautiful than I heard.”

Kaycee raised an eyebrow. “It's Doctor Kaycee MacClennan,” she retorted. “And, really? That’s what you heard? We’re at a medical conference with our peers, and that’s what you’ve heard about me?”

“Well, among other things,” he replied smoothly, his eyes lingering on her. “I also hear you’ve been doing some groundbreaking work at Edenbrook. Perhaps you could fill me in over dinner. What do you say?”

Kaycee crossed her arms, amazed the man couldn’t see how annoyed she was. “Well,” she began when she felt a strong arm encircle her waist.

“We’re not available for dinner,” Ethan declared, his steel blue eyes daring the charlatan to say another word.

The young doctor blinked, clearly thrown. “Oh, uh, I didn’t realize—”

“Well, now you do,” Ethan said dismissively as the doctor scurried away.

Kaycee couldn’t help but chuckle as they walked away. “Thanks for the save, babe. But I had it under control.”

“Of that, I have no doubt,” Ethan replied.

“But you had to step in,” she grinned. “Because you might have been a little jealous?”

Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “He was wasting your time, and I wanted to be with you."

“Right,” she teased, nudging him playfully. “Jealousy had nothing to do with it.”

The day continued the same way, with Ethan maintaining a stoic front as others flirted relentlessly with Kaycee, and she quietly relished watching him jump in every single time. She couldn’t wait to tease him about it later, but that would have to wait until after the final reception – where everything was about to change.

Dr. Allison Porter was the star of the conference, the main keynote speaker, and a world-renowned cardiologist with a smile that could light up a room. She was holding court tonight, and everyone wanted her attention, but she was only interested in one doctor from Boston. When she spotted him alone at the bar, she knew it was time to make her move.

“Dr. Ramsey, I presume,” she grinned, extending a well-manicured hand as she approached.

“Dr. Porter,” he nodded politely while shaking her hand. “It’s lovely to make your acquaintance.”

“Likewise, I’m sure. And please, call me Allison." Her eyes twinkled as she assessed Ethan, though he didn't seem to notice. “I’ve been watching you from afar for some time now. The work you’ve done at Edenbrook is truly awe-inspiring.”

“Well,” Ethan laughed softly. “I’m very proud of the work we've achieved, but awe-inspiring may be a bit of hyperbole.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself, Dr. Ramsey. You should hear how others speak of you at the conference.”

“Really?” he smirked, raising his glass of Scotch to his lips. “I’m usually better off not knowing what my colleagues are saying about me when I’m not in earshot.”

Allison tossed her head back, laughing much too enthusiastically, and that caught Kaycee’s attention from across the room. Amused, she grabbed a flute of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray and shifted positions so she could get a better view of the show taking place. She wondered how long it would take for Ethan to become flustered or have that familiar scowl take over his face. But as she continued to watch, it never occurred. Instead, he seemed taken in by the conversation, which was fine... until Dr. Porter placed her hand on Ethan’s arm.

“Excuse me,” Kaycee said with a plastered smile as she turned on her heel and made her way across the crowded room. Allison’s voice was lithe, almost sultry, as Kaycee approached from behind.

“Ethan, I think you and I should definitely...collaborate... sometime. I have no doubt that we could...accomplish great things together.”

“Hey, sweetheart,” Kaycee announced as she took her place at Ethan's side. “I’ve been looking for you! I should have known to check the bar first!”

“Yes,” he replied. “I’m surprised that wasn’t your first thought. Kaycee, this is Dr. Allison Porter, Dr. Porter, my teammate and partner, Dr. Kaycee MacClennan.”

“Oh,” Dr. Porter said, attempting to hide her surprise. “It’s lovely to meet you. I’ve read your work as well, Dr. MacClennan...  didn’t realize that you two were...”

“Yes, we are,” Kaycee beamed confidently. “Very happily so.”

Allison’s eyes narrowed slightly before she took her leave, and Kaycee turned to Ethan with a sarcastic smirk. “Collaboration, huh?” She said, taking a sip of Ethan’s drink. “Collaboration, my ass. She wanted... something else.”

Ethan cleared his throat, obviously amused. “Are we... what’s the word... jealous, Dr. MacClennan?”

“What? Me?” Kaycee replied. “Absolutely not! I don’t get jealous. I trust you!”

“OK,” Ethan smiled softly. “Whatever you say.” He moved in closer. “Why don’t we get some fresh air? I'd like to get away from all these people lusting after us.”

"Hmm. We do have that effect on people, don't we?" She smiled. "But you can be honest. You just want to get me alone. Don't you?"

"Always," he growled in her ear.

They left and walked along the beach hand-in-hand, their footsteps mingling with the sound of waves crashing against the shore. As they recounted the day’s events, Kaycee nudged Ethan with her shoulder.

“Admit it,” she said, smiling. “You got jealous. More than once."

He glanced at her, his face still stoic but his eyes warm. “Jealousy is beneath me. But you, you may have turned a slight shade of green when you saw Dr. Porter speaking to me. But don't worry, I think it’s kind of cute.”

"What! I was not jealous!" Kaycee insisted, contemplating kicking sand at him if it wouldn't have made her look like a child. "I was not jealous at all!"

Ethan gave her a long look, and finally, a ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of Kaycee's mouth. “All right. Maybe... a little," she grinned. "But admit it, you got a little jealous today, too."

"Fine," he surrendered. "I did."

Kaycee grinned, slipping her hand into his. “Thought so.”

Kaycee shook her head as they continued to walk. "What is it about these things? The minute the lectures are over, it's like someone pumps an aphrodisiac into the air."

Ethan laughed but agreed with her assessment. "I never understood it," he said. "These are professional events. People should act... professionally. I would never lower myself to behaving that way."

Kaycee's eyes flicked to his, the moonlight showing the shadows of her smile. "Seriously? Do you remember Miami? I was there, you know."

"That's different," he insisted. "That was... you."

"Mmm-hmm. But you had been with me in Boston plenty of times, but it took Miami for you to finally come to - then quickly take loss of - your senses."

Ethan stopped in his tracks, his hands finding Kaycee's waist and pulling her near. He kissed her so passionately, so intensely, that she forgot what she was saying - which may have been the very point. He pulled away with a playful grin.

"Enough of this. What do you say we head back to our room and remind ourselves why no one else here stood a chance?"

"Sounds good to me," she said, jumping into his arms. "And Ethan?"

"Yes?"

"I really wasn't jealous."

"All right, Kaycee," he winked. "Whatever you say."

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[liaromancewriter]

I Thee Wed…

Premise: Ethan and Cassie are ready to say, ‘I do,’ but they forget one important step.

Book: Open Heart (post series) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. Fluff. Words: 1,560

A/N: So, I first did Ethan and Cassie's wedding in June 2021. In all that time, I've never written their wedding vows. Maxenna's vows were easier to write. Well, I finally cracked this nut! Yay, me ����

Submission for @choicesaugustchallenge prompt "summer wedding"

Cassie Valentine updated the patient chart and mentally crossed off another item from her seemingly endless to-do list. In just nine days, she would stand in the garden of her family home and marry her soulmate.

She couldn’t contain a small, excited scream, a dreamy smile spreading across her face as she imagined Ethan’s awestruck expression when she glided toward him at the floral-decked altar. But, she thought with a smirk, she couldn’t wait to knock him over on their wedding night with what she had on beneath the layers of tulle.

All in good time, Cassie reasoned, turning her attention back to work.

“Marlene?” she called to one of the regular nurses on her floor, handing over the tablet with the patient record. “Keep an eye on potassium levels for Mr. Dubois in 504. Page me if there’s any change in his condition.”

“Will do, Dr. Valentine,” Marlene nodded, scanning the chart quickly to confirm the orders.

She flashed Cassie a friendly smile. “Are you excited about the wedding? You and Dr. Ramsey make such a beautiful couple.”

“I’m counting the minutes,” Cassie grinned. “I have a final fitting for the dress next week, but otherwise, we’re all set.”

“Summer weddings are the best,” another nurse piped in. “Flowers are my favorite part.”

“I love hearing the couple’s vows,” Marlene said. “Are you and Dr. Ramsey writing your own?”

Cassie nodded in response, keeping her expression smooth even as alarm bells blared inside her head. Crap, crap, crap!

Between work, packing up her things at the apartment for the move to Ethan’s and coordinating with Sienna and her mom on the wedding, she had forgotten entirely about the vows.

She and Ethan had negotiated a hybrid ceremony, honoring her Episcopalian beliefs and his agnostic ones. He had agreed to have a priest officiate and receive a spiritual blessing in exchange for non-religious but personal vows, no Communion, hymns or readings.

Writing their own vows had sounded so simple before. A few words of promise, a declaration of their love, exchange rings and you-may-kiss-the-bride. End scene.

But now she realized it was anything but easy. Worse, she had no idea what she would say on the most important day of her life!

The pen dug into the paper, leaving dark, jagged lines on the legal pad as Ethan scratched out yet another sentence. His handwriting, usually neat and precise despite the doctor-like scrawl, had turned into a chaotic mess of crossed-out words and half-formed thoughts. Frustration simmered in his chest, his mind spinning as he tried to wrestle his emotions into something coherent.

He sighed, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his temple. Sitting through a room full of demanding board members was a walk in the park compared to this. How was he supposed to find the words powerful enough to capture the depth of what he felt for Cassie?

Each attempt felt clumsy and inadequate, the words slipping away from him no matter how hard he tried. Irritated with himself, he muttered a curse under his breath, tearing the paper from the pad and crumpling it into a tight ball. It joined the other pieces of crumpled paper balls scattered around him.

Why had he insisted on their own vows? Should’ve just taken a template and been done with it.

He had been working on them all week and was no closer to the finish line. He had tried writing at home, in his office with the door closed and on a bench in the serenity garden at Edenbrook. Eventually, he retreated to Derry’s Coffee Shop in the hope that a place special to them both would inspire him.

The wedding was a week away, and he did not relish the idea of standing at the altar with nothing more to say than “I do” while Cassie no doubt recited something meaningful about him being her soulmate.

“Tough case?”

Startled, Ethan looked up to find Cassie standing above him.

He had been so absorbed in his frustrated scribbling that he hadn’t even noticed her enter the coffee shop, place her order and walk over to him.

“You could say that,” he hedged, hoping she wouldn’t press for more.

“Maybe I can help,” she suggested, sliding into the seat across from him.

Before he could stop her, she reached for the pad, and he blurted out, “No!” even as she read the words out loud.

“Cassie, my love for you is like an unspecified virus that I couldn’t shake….”

Ethan saw the look of shock on Cassie’s face. Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly. For a moment, they just stared at each other in stunned silence.

“Wait, are these your wedding vows? And did you just compare me to a virus?”

Ethan quickly tried to recover, realizing how the words sounded when said aloud. “I—I didn’t mean it like that. What I’m trying to say is that my love for you is something I never expected, something that took hold of me and changed everything.”

Cassie blinked, and then, to his relief, a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “Babe, I appreciate the on-brand medical analogy, especially since I diagnosed Naveen’s bacteriophage, but maybe we can find a less…clinical way to describe it? This is our wedding, after all, not a keynote at the AMA annual symposium.”

“A keynote at the AMA would be easier than these damn vows,” Ethan muttered, running an exasperated hand through his hair.

He picked up his coffee and looked at her over the rim. “I suppose you’ve already written a masterpiece?”

To his surprise, Cassie blushed and looked away. “Not exactly. If you must know, I kind of forgot about them.”

She waved one hand dismissively. “Anyway, this isn’t about me. If you’re struggling, just focus on us, our relationship—what makes me the one for you? How you see our life together. Things like that.”

Ethan narrowed his eyes. “That’s some solid advice.” He reached for his phone, unlocking the screen. “In fact, it’s almost identical to the advice I got from another Valentine just a couple of hours ago. Ah, here it is.” He turned the screen to show her the text from Max.

Cassie’s eyes widened in disbelief. “That cheat!” She snatched the phone from Ethan’s hand, scrolling up to check the time stamp. It was from earlier in the day before she’d texted her brother. “He totally copy-pasted his response to me!”

Ethan chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Looks like great minds think alike…or at least steal from each other. When did you speak to him?”

Cassie gave him a sheepish look. “Maybe half an hour ago. ”

“Isn’t it the middle of the night where he is?”

She rolled her eyes and made a face. “I know. Max wasn’t thrilled, which is probably why I ended up with recycled advice.”

She straightened in her chair, a hint of frustration in her voice. “I can’t seem to find the right words for our vows. At least you managed to compare me to a virus—I’ve got a completely blank page.”

Ethan chuckled softly, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand gently. “How about we work on them together? We always did our best work figuring out diagnostic differentials as a team. Why should wedding vows be any different?”

Cassie’s smile widened. “Just promise you won’t tell my mother this is how we wrote our vows, or I’ll have to call you a big, fat liar!”

“Deal.”

Nine days later…

Ethan faced Cassie, a deep contentment settling over him, unlike anything he’d ever felt before. As he held her hands in his, the words that once eluded him now flowed as naturally as breathing.

“Cassie, when I first met you, I had no idea we’d end up here, but from that moment on, you’ve captivated me in ways I never imagined. You’ve challenged me, frustrated me and inspired me to be a better person. And I've fallen in love with you again and again, even though I didn’t believe love or family were in the cards for me. You opened my heart to more. I promise to support and encourage you, embrace the unexpected with you, and always work on being the best version of myself for you. I vow to hold your hand and cherish your heart, loving you always and forever.”

Cassie flashed a mischievous grin, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she held Ethan’s gaze, recalling the day they wrote these vows. Her voice was light and playful as she began, making it clear she was savoring every moment.

“Ethan, from the moment you walked into my life—full of arrogance, calling me an amateur—everything changed in ways I never could have predicted. I told you then I was your biggest fan, but that barely scratched the surface of my feelings for you. I can’t imagine a single day without you, and I hope I never do. I promise to stand by your side, to love you fiercely—even when you’re driving me a little crazy—and to choose you every day, no matter what. You are my partner, my soulmate and my greatest adventure. I vow to cherish your heart with all that I am, always and forever.”

And then they lived happily ever after…

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

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

@mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16

@justyourusualash @tessa-liam @liaficreplies @trappedinfanfiction

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @cariantha @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[cariantha]

Relief

Book: Open Heart, Book 2 Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Sawyer Brooks) Rating: Teen Warning: Sexual innuendo Category: Hurt/Comfort; Fluff Word count: 1.4K Prompt: From @jerzwriter, “In your HC, does Sawyer have any long-term effects from the chemical attack or its treatment?”

By mid-afternoon, the cafeteria wasn’t nearly as busy, making it easy for Ethan to spot Sawyer sitting alone at a corner table. With a fork in one hand, she moved food around her plate while rubbing her forehead with the other. 

Ethan began walking in her direction but was abruptly stopped in his tracks. “Oh, Dr. Ramsey! I’m so glad I ran into you. Finally, I can introduce you to my husband,” the silver-haired woman proclaimed. 

“Hello, Mr. Reed. It’s nice to meet you,” Ethan politely responded, shaking hands with the gentleman at her side. 

While Mrs. Reed explained to her husband that his ornery mother had taken a shine to the doctor with “dreamy blue eyes like Paul Newman,” Ethan kept a side eye on Sawyer as she stood and emptied her tray into a nearby wastebin. 

Heads turned, and people whispered as she walked past a few occupied tables on her way to the exit. Since her return to work last week, the gossip mills had been spinning again, speculating about her physical and mental well-being and his and Sawyer’s more than just professional relationship. 

Not wanting to feed the rumors, Ethan caught Sawyer’s eye just before she walked past him. With a subtle lift of his chin and a question on his brow, he silently asked if she was okay. She signaled that she was with a quick nod and forced smile. But as Ethan’s eyes trailed her out of the room, and she lifted her hand to massage the back of her neck, he was unconvinced. 

<><><><><><><><><><>

“Morning,” Ethan offered as he entered the hospital gym early on Tuesday morning. 

“Ram-Man! I didn’t think you were coming this morning,” Bryce grunted between pull-ups. “Sawyer said she was staying at yours last night. I figured you’d be working out at home… doing some thrusters,” he teased, dropping to the floor and vulgarly thrusting his hips back and forth.

Ethan rolled his eyes and shook his head. “She wasn’t feeling well last night,” he explained as he programmed his treadmill. “Said she had a headache and wanted to go home and sleep it off.”

“She gave you the headache excuse? Damn, man. What’d you do to piss her off?”

Ethan scrunched his brow together. “What? Nothing.” The thought of Sawyer making up an excuse not to spend the night together hadn’t even crossed his mind. 

“That you know of…” Bryce chuckled. 

He flipped him off, then started running at full speed on the treadmill, hoping to tune out the obnoxious scalpel jockey.

His gym buddy laughed in response. “I’m just giving you a hard time, man. In all seriousness, I’m sure it’s been hard for her to be back. She probably just reached her limit and needed to crash.”

Ethan nodded. Did she need space? Had he been hovering? Was he being overprotective? Or, attempting to keep their relationship out of the public eye, had he inadvertently hurt her feelings? The thoughts in his head whirred round and round like the rubber tread under his feet.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Dr. Ramsey rattled off medication adjustments to the nurse as they exited their patient’s room. He paused to let her type the orders into a tablet when, down the hall, a familiar voice caught his attention.  

“Page me if you need anything, Esme. I’m going to take a quick lunch break,” Sawyer said to her intern. 

He quickly reviewed and signed off on the patient’s chart and tried to catch up with her. When he reached the end of the hallway, he turned the corner and found Baz and Zaid engaged in conversation. 

“Did you see which way Sawyer went?” Ethan interrupted, looking left and right at the intersection. 

“No, she didn’t come this way,” the twins said simultaneously. 

Ethan swirled back around, trying to figure out where the woman he was dating had disappeared. Then he noticed the door to a supply closet. Cracking the door open, the light from the hallway illuminated the small, dark space. 

Sawyer sat on the floor, her head leaning against the wall with her eyes closed. The door softly scraped on the floor as Ethan pushed it further open, and she cracked one eye open. Seeing the familiar face, she quietly groaned, “Hi.” Stepping into the tight space, he closed the door behind him. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked, flipping on the lights. When Sawyer winced, he quickly turned them off. 

“Thank you,” she murmured. 

She laid her head on his shoulder when he sank to the floor beside her. 

“Another headache?” he guessed, taking her hand in his. 

“Yeah.”

“How bad?”

“Like migraine bad.”

“And how long has this been going on? The headaches?” 

She hesitated before answering, and Ethan knew he wouldn’t like the answer. “I’ve had them since the attack, but they’ve progressively worsened since being back at work.”

Ethan sighed deeply. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to bother you with it.”

“Dammit, Sawyer… I wish you would stop saying that.” Remembering her pain, he quickly tempered his frustration and squeezed her hand lovingly. “I care about you. I’m all in with you. And I want to be there for you. Aside from all that, I’m still technically your physician. You should have told me-”

“They’re just minor headaches…”

There was a buzz in his pocket. As he reached for his phone, Ethan rolled his eyes and mumbled about doctors being the worst patients. Dismissing the unimportant call, he continued his lecture. “They’re not so minor if you seek refuge in a dark closet. I won’t let you suffer like this. And Sawyer, we don’t know anything about the long-term effects of the poisoning or the antidote. You need to let me run some tests and ensure it’s nothing serious.”

“Okay, and you’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Come here.” Ethan guided Sawyer’s body down until her head rested in his lap. Carefully untangling the elastic from her hair, he combed his long fingers through it, then gently massaged her head. 

“That feels good. Thank you,” Sawyer whispered.

He continued to rub her head through a fifteen-minute power nap before waking and convincing her to call it a day. “Go back to my place. It’s quiet, and you can soak in the tub. I’ll take over your patients.”  

After dusting themselves off, Ethan opened the door for Sawyer to step out first. His chest bumped into her back when she suddenly froze at the threshold. Looking over her head, he saw a familiar face stepping out of the patient room on the other side of the hall. The nurse smirked. “Good for you, doctors.”

“It’s not what it looks like, Maureen,” Sawyer attempted to explain.

“Uh-huh,” she sang, walking away.

Sawyer turned to face Ethan. “I totally have sex hair right now, don’t I?”

He handed over her elastic hairband with a sympathetic half-smile and smoothed her teased hair down. 

<><><><><><><><><><>

A few hours later, Ethan entered his quiet apartment. Following the soft yellow light that filtered through the half-open door of his bedroom, he found Sawyer curled up in bed, scrolling through her phone. 

“Hey, Rookie, how are you feeling?” he asked, toeing out of his shoes and pulling off his tie. 

“Hi. Much better.”

Lying down next to her, he tugged her close for a hug and kiss. “I got a couple of Maxalt samples from the pharma rep and sent a prescription to the hospital pharmacy. You should be able to pick it up in the morning.”

“Thank you,” Sawyer said, but her tone sounded defeated.  

“I know you don’t like taking medication, Soe, but I think it will bring you some relief.” Ethan kissed her forehead and ran his fingers through her hair. “I can’t bear to see you in any more pain. Not after all that you’ve already endured.”

“Speaking of relief, can I ask you a question? As my doctor?”

“Of course.”

“I read a study earlier today, and the data suggested that sexual activity can lead to partial or complete headache relief in some migraine patients.”

“I’m familiar with the study.” Ethan smiled, knowing his patient well enough to see where this line of questioning was going.  

“Of course you are…” She chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Well, I was wondering if you think it might be effective in my case.”

“Sex releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers,” Ethan explained. “So yes, it could very well ease your symptoms.”  

Sawyer scrunched her face and rubbed her forehead. “Ooooh… ahhhh… my head is suddenly throbbing.”

Gesturing to where his pants were now feeling very tight, he smirked. “Yeah, so is mine. You rub mine, and I’ll rub yours?” 

“Deal.”

Tag List: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics @peonierose  @potionsprefect @trappedinfanfiction 

@jerzwriter @queencarb @coffeeheartaddict2 @quixoticdreamer16 @jamespotterthefirst 

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@socalwriterbee @txemrn @midnightmelodiz

[alj4890]

Comfort

(Ethan Ramsey x F!MC) in a Choices Open Heart One Shot

As requested by

@hopelessromantic1352 with the prompt "You can't keep doing this."

A/N Here you go my sweet friend. Thank you for sending these requests to me to help with inspiration. I know you specifically wanted this one with both Ethan and Chris, so I'm going back to book 1 for you so that Tobias won't steal her away 😉

I was also inspired by the Dr. Who gifs below for this one. For those who don't know, Karen Gillian is my FC for Chris Valentine. Don't worry, I'm not making Matt Smith my FC for Ethan 😂 This interaction though reminded me of something Ethan and Chris would have done and it fit my idea for the above prompt.

Masterlist

It was too much. All of it was more than Chris could take. Tears blurred her vision as she finally had a chance to react to the mayhem she'd just finished being a part of.

Ripping off the surgical scrubs covered in Rafael's blood, she dashed blindly down the corridor. Her breaths hitched as sobs threatened to spill out. All she could think of was running away from the absolute hell of the subway accident. She needed to get as far as she could before losing her strained hold on her emotions.

Ignoring the alarm of the exhausted nurses and doctors, she ran past them without saying a word.

She stumbled out of one of the side doors of the hospital and barreled into a familiar solid form.

Ethan grunted on impact. He grasped her arms once he recognized her.

"Chris?" He leaned down closer to see her more clearly in the darkness. "What happened?"

Tears began to spill down her cheeks. Of all the people in the world she could possibly bump into at this moment, it would be him.

"I have to go." She choked out, wrenching herself from his grasp.

He grabbed her once more to stop her escape.

"Are you all right?" He demanded in a harsh voice while giving her a slight shake.

There were few things in this world he could not tolerate and seeing Chris in this emotional state topped that list.

"No!" She cried out, her voice echoing across the parking lot.

In a jumble or words and sobs, she managed to tell him about the rush of patients they had in the emergency room.

Once her ability to speak became impossible, he gripped her hand and took her back into the hospital.

"No. I don't want to go back inside!" she struggled against his hold.

She stilled as he led her up the emergency stairwell towards the roof.

He chose a spot overlooking Boston and sat down.

Ethan glanced up and saw she was immobile once again with tears falling in steady streams down her cheeks. Taking her hand, he tugged her down.

She collapsed beside him and buried her head against her knees, her body wracked with silent cries.

He'd seen her like this before. When Delores died, she'd been unable to stop her tears. He'd found her alone in the locker room, silently crying at the unfairness of it all.

Setting his hand on her shoulder, he gently pulled her closer to his side.

"You can't keep doing this, Chris." He told her. "If you keep taking death to heart like this, then being a doctor will destroy you."

She wiped her eyes, and settled her chin on her knees.

"I know that." She said in a voice cracking with emotion. "But it was so much, Ethan. Everywhere I turned there was someone in the midst of dying or who was screaming in pain. I wanted to fix it all but I couldn't."

"Did you help them?" He asked.

"If you can call it that." She said bitterly. "I assessed, tagged, and moved on like Zaid told me to."

He squeezed her in a side hug. "I never doubted for a moment that you did the right thing."

His comforting touch and praise tore at her heart.

"Don't." She pleaded. "Don't be nice to me right now."

Chris could feel the tears rising once more. After all they felt for one another, his quitting, and now showing up when she needed him most; she thought she would truly break if he was kind to her.

She rested her head on his shoulder, nuzzling close to him once his arm dropped. "Please sit here with me, but don't be nice."

Ethan leaned his head against hers and snorted. "Everyone complains when I'm not nice and yet here you are demanding the opposite."

Chris bit back a tearful smile. "I think this is one request of mine you're willing to give in."

"I think we both know I always give in to what you want."

"If that were true, you wouldn't have left Edenbrook." She mumbled. "And you wouldn't have left me."

He cursed. "Chris, you know why I left Edenbrook. And as for you..."

He trailed off.

She looked up at him.

"As for me?"

He met her red rimmed eyes and felt his will falter. He'd once had such plans to protect and guide her career forward. He was going to not only show her how to be a doctor but watch as she became a great one. He'd ended up doing nothing but letting her down in the end. He'd failed to keep his unexpected feelings for her in check and he'd failed her as a mentor.

Seeing the quiet anguish he was under, she nestled her head back on his shoulder, leaving the issue alone for once.

He swallowed the words that were demanding to come out. He wanted to tell her he'd never leave her. He would always want her.

He loved her.

I'm not worthy to tell her anything like that, he thought to himself. Not now, possibly not ever.

"What are you doing here?" She asked after a long stretch of silence.

"Marlene left me a message saying that the hospital needed all the help they could get." He answered, grateful she wasn't pushing him into revealing more of what he wasn't ready for.

"What took you so long?" She playfully nudged him with her elbow.

A hint of smile appeared on her face when she heard his exasperated groan.

"I was out of town, Rookie." He grumbled.

"Having a good time?" She asked.

"I wouldn't say that." He muttered. "I went to see my dad and then I went on to--"

He bit his tongue. He couldn't get her hopes up that his visits to Mrs. Martinez's family would come to any good.

"To where?" She asked.

"Nowhere in particular." He lied. "I needed to drive and clear my head."

"I think I need a vacation like that." She mumbled. "I wish I could forget and leave everything behind for a while."

He wrapped his arm around her once more. "It's a pipe dream. There's no way you can fully leave everything behind, no matter how badly you want to."

"How badly did you want to?"

"More than anything."

She slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him.

He held her, taking every bit of comfort she was willing to give him. It's ironic, he thought. He'd brought her up here to comfort her. He had no intentions of letting her know his own struggles.

Ethan should have known that out of everyone he knew, Chris would know what he was feeling. Not only that, she would also give him exactly what he needed from her in this moment.

Neither was sure how long they sat there, holding one another. The soothing hum of the city below them and the stars above were all they needed as they sat together in companionable silence.

When the first blush of dawn began to light the sky, Ethan whispered that he'd take her home.

He got up first and offered his hand to Chris.

She lifted her tear stained face up to smile softly at him.

Taking his hand, she stood up and was pulled into his embrace. He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead when she slipped her arms around him again.

"You're going to be okay." He said, lips brushing hers with each word.

She nodded, her eyes meeting his after one last sweet kiss.

"We both will." She vowed.

Together, hand in hand, they went off to face another day.

[potionsprefect]

Where It All Began

Pairings: Ethan Ramsey x Victoria Clarke

Word Count: 860

Summary: Victoria makes a return to Hopkins

Rating: General Audiences

Category: Fluff

The view was still the same, the circumstances for her visit this time were however different. Victoria hadn’t been back to Hopkins since she had graduated but today, she was there to deliver a speech to future doctors.

It felt strange sitting in a hotel room when she had gotten so used to looking out towards campus grounds. But she wasn’t in Baltimore for long. It was only for two night and tomorrow, she would be on a flight back to Massachusetts and back with her young family.

Victoria hated being away from Ethan and Luke and Lily but she kept reminding herself that it was only for one night. The job was important but so was spending time with her family and Victoria always made sure to never prioritise work over what was the most important.

When the offer came to speak at her old university, she wasn’t sure if she should accept it but after discussing it with Ethan, she decided she could not pass it up. Whilst Luke and Lily were not old enough to understand the job, they were however, at an age where they would realise when Ethan and Victoria were not around.

Victoria pulled out her phone and looked at the pictures of her family on her phone, her smile growing wilder as she scrolled through them. She missed her family so much, the goodbye at the airport was hard but it would not be for long and that’s what she kept reminding herself.

She looked out towards the Baltimore skyline, tiny balls of light brightening up the city, the moon shining highly above the skyscrapers. This was her home for years and it felt like she had never left.

She was ready to inspire the next generation. Just like she had been all those years ago.

Victoria straightened her jacket and looked at herself in the camera of her phone. She took several deep breaths in a bid to regulate her beating heart. She kept reminding herself that this was a big honour and that opportunities like this do not come around often.

She thought back to all those times she was in and around campus. The early morning lectures, the late night study sessions, creative revision notes and trips to the library. Just being back here made it seem surreal that she was here to talk to those inspiring to be just like her.

Victoria recalled someone coming to talk to her intake once and how it had inspired her. She used it as motivation to get through the rest of her degree. And looking back now, it had all been worth it.

Victoria’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She saw Ethan’s name flash up on her phone.

Good luck! You’re going to smash it!

Victoria smiled at the message. With newfound confidence, she pushed through the double doors to the atrium.

“So how did it go?” Ethan asked.

“It went so well! Everyone seemed really interested and I got a round of applause!” Victoria smiled. She was currently back at the hotel, having had room service and was now FaceTiming Ethan.

“Nothing less than you deserve. Do you think you’ve inspired some people?”

“I hope so. I remember being inspired. I hope someone feels inspired by me.” Victoria replied.

“I have no doubt that you have. We’re all very proud of you.” Ethan smiled. He held the phone over the sleeping figures of Luke and Lily.

“I miss them so much. And you. How have they been?”

“Missing you. Lily is being extremely fussy. I think she knows you’re not here.” Ethan chuckled.

“I’ll be home tomorrow. And I’ll be looking forward to lots of cuddles.”

“We’ll have plenty for you. Did you talk about all the things you said you would?” Ethan said.

“I did. I mentioned how I was where they were. I wasn’t sure if I was scaring or impressing them. But I think the round of applause said it all.”

“It’s not an easy career but they knew that when they decided to take it on in the first place. Hearing from people like you will show them that the hard work and commitment is all worth it.” Ethan said.

“I agree. And who knows. We might just motivate those closer to home.” Victoria gestures to the twins.

“I thought we weren’t going to pressure them in the future to follow in our footsteps.” Ethan laughed.

“I know. It would be good though wouldn’t it? Do you ever think about what it would be like if we saw them doing what we did? It would be amazing.” Victoria said.

“I do. Maybe one day, they’ll be sat in the same atrium as us. Maybe we’ll be giving speeches to them.”

“If they do then I can’t wait for the speech.”

Being a doctor was no easy job but it was worth the late nights and early mornings. And if Victoria could inspire those to keep working hard then she considered herself doing a good job.

She was proud of all she had achieved and hopefully, upcoming doctors would also get to feel the same pride she felt.

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[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!

[coffeeheartaddict2]

Haunted

Book: Open Heart (post series)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC Casey Ramsey , Tobias Carrick

Word count: 1609

Category: Angst

Rating: Mature

Warnings: mentions of Bio attack, mentions of mental health, mentions of pregnancy loss, language.

Summary: It is three weeks after a missed miscarriage and Casey approaches Tobias to discuss the antidote and if it could have been the cause.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Pixelberry

Authors note: This fic was prompted by a question from Elsa about the effects of the antidote and the attack as a whole. Thanks again for the ask Elsa.

🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

It had been three weeks since her world had turned upside down. Finding out they were expecting and then finding out less than 24hours later that the baby did not make it would do that. Being a doctor, she knew the statistics on miscarriages. A statistic that had not changed much in a long time, despite this the knowledge was not helping, if anything it was making the whole situation worse. This was her first week back at work, she knew she maybe should have taken more time but doctors make horrible patients and much like after the attack and also her sexual assault, she was eager to resume sembelence of normality to help her cope.

Tobias was aware of her coping mechanisms and he was not going to let her have it all her own way. He knew Casey not only needed to grieve but also heal and working harder than Ethan was not the way to heal. He also knew that Casey and Ethan needed each other also. Casey was frustrated with this but she also knew that Ethan would side with Tobias so she did what she did best and kept on carrying on.

Casey had been back at work for three days. Both Ethan and Tobias knew there was something more than just grief and anger at the missed miscarriage but both men knew that if Casey wanted to talk about it then it would be on her terms. Casey and Ethan were seeing Dr Jensen to help them through their grief but the questions Casey had could only be answered by Tobias. The question was to do with the antidote and whether or not the miscarriage could have been caused by it. As much as Casey wanted to seek answers, she also did not want to come off as some crazy grieving bitch. Today was Aurora’s day off and Baz was doing some research, as such it was just them and they had a working lunch. Casey ordered in some sushi and she decided to be direct.

“Tobias, did the antidote have anything to do with my miscarriage?”

Tobias was taken aback. There had not been any research done into the antidote, it was decided that any research would only happen with the absolute explicit consent of Raf and Casey.

“It should not have, it was designed to be cleared at the same time as the toxin after it bonded.”

“But you do not know for sure?”

Tobias took a deep breath.

“You and Raf were not the only people traumatized by that day Casey. We all decided that any further research would happen only with the consent of both you and Raf.”

“Why did you want our consent? The breakthrough would have been groundbreaking.”

“And making you both relive that day with any questions, scans, tests to see how you both are physically and mentally after that.” Said Tobias, “not to mention those of us who came that day. The realization when I had the call from Aurora telling me what could have happened at Kenmore, the red flags that even June in all seriousness should have picked up became painfully apparent.” Tobias took another breath, this time to keep his emotions in check.

“This is not about me, it is about you and your question and to the best of my knowledge, No the antidote did not cause your miscarriage.” He said, before quickly excusing himself. It had been at least a decade if not longer that Tobias needed the privacy of a supply cupboard to vent his frustration but today it seemed apt.

He screamed and then felt tears run down his face. He was not lying when it dawned on him that it could have happened at Kenmore but that night was full of emotion. It was the night he realized that any emotion that Ethan had towards Casey was genuine, it was the night where he saw that he had been played by June, it was a night that he was appalled at himself, it was a feeling he had not felt since medical school and he was keen to not feel that ever again. It pained him he was in some way responsible for the attack, sure there had been positives out of it, he and Ethan eventually reconciled, he had a good friendship with Casey also, the relationship with Ethan and Casey but he knew things could have ended very differently that night, it was upsetting enough that two people lost their lives before the team from Kenmore were able to arrive.

He eventually regained his composure and went about the rest of his day but the haunted emotions did not leave him. He was finishing up for the day when his path crossed with Ethan. He noted that Tobias was not himself.

“Are you alright, Tobias?” Questioned Ethan.

“I have been better…” he wanted to tell Ethan the full story but the nurses station they were at was not the place.

“I will finish soon, did you want to meet and tell me what is up?” Asked Ethan.

“I’ll be fine buddy, you go spend some time with Casey.”

Ethan left it at that. Later that night, when both Ethan and Casey were at home, he asked Casey if she knew why Tobias was not himself this afternoon.

“That may have been my fault.” Stated Casey.

“How was it your fault?”

“I took advantage of knowing I would not be interrupted by Aurora and Baz to ask him if the antidote could have caused my miscarriage.”

“Oh” said Ethan. He did not know what to say in that moment that would not have him coming off as a condescending asshole.

“He did not seem to think it did but since no research has been done he could not be 100% sure.” Said Casey.

“I must admit, many of the physical checks we did after that attack were focused on the lungs and your physical strength, although you had the least exposure and we did not check the reproductive organs…”

“I know I have PCOS and that may have made me more susceptible anyway, I also know the fucking statistics Ethan. It could have happened regardless but I wanted to know” wailed Casey.

Ethan got up and hugged her. The doctor in him wanted to remind her that if there was any other irregularities found that could not be tied to her PCOS or any other ailment but he kept quiet and hugged her, assuring her that everything would be fine.

Casey was emotionally drained so she went to bed early and Ethan messaged Tobias asking if he was amenable to having lunch the next day, for which Tobias agreed.

The next day came and Ethan and Tobias met at the local Italian restaurant near the hospital. Ethan decided to be direct.

“Casey told me about the conversation you had yesterday.”

Tobias nodded. “I should not have been shocked that the question was coming but the emotions it stirred up was a shock.”

“There was so much more I wanted to say last night, but kept quiet.”

“Yeah that line between doctor, husband or friend and condescending asshole is a very fine one.”

Ethan nodded in agreement.

“I guess the guilt I felt for courting them both, telling June about it which lead to the heist….”

“It is not your fault Tobias. If the Senator did not seek medical treatment, he would have died anyway.”

“Yeah two innocents would have not been caught in his plot and Casey and Raf would not have been compromised .”

“And if your team found out? Travis still would have had his revenge.”

“Yeah and probably would have done more damage than Edenbrook, it was the VIP wing that swayed Travis, hell that should have been the first red flag.”

“We missed many too or passed it off as Travis’s job or concern.” Stated Ethan, “Do you know what gave Casey the inspiration to check for lead poisoning?”

“No, I was jealous that you guys solved it so fast.” Said Tobias with a slight chuckle.

“The senator forgot the word Vegan.”

Tobias raised his eyebrow in surprise.

“Well they do say lifestyle choices are often key in finding the problem.”

Tobias took a sip of his drink.

“In all seriousness though, I will always feel somewhat responsible for the events that happened and that will never change. Do not get me wrong there was some really good things that came out of it but it was still traumatic and I suppose if the antidote has caused even more fertility concerns it would make me feel worse.”

“The grief is still all to fresh. As Casey said last night, I know the statistics on miscarriage and to be honest I think it is making the process worse.”

“I can only imagine the grief, it is certainly something that I wish you two never had to go through in the first place.”

Ethan nodded and the finished their meal in companionable silence.

Later that day Tobias came across Casey in the office. He apologized for being not much help the day before. Casey stated there was no need to apologize but accepted the apology. Tobias stated that if the antidote was in any way responsible that he will feel worse that what he does. Casey reminded him that any potential fertility concerns were not a high priority.

“I regret the actions at my end that lead to the attack, I always will, but I will always be thankful fot the positives.”

“Me too, Tobias” as they hug and and then go about their day.

——

Authors note 2: Well that was that, again Elsa thank you for the ask. We know Pixelberry very much glazed over any side effects both physical and mental from the attack but we also have to remember the doctors and nurses who worked in the support suite, who found a cure fell even through out the hospital.

I think we all headcanon Tobias being a good guy all the ego bravado and in Tashland and even in any au where I have had the attack happen, Tobias always feels responsible and even though it is a turning point for him in many ways, he still feels guilty that needless loss of lives lead to it.

Regular readers know that Casey goes on to have two kids with Ethan. Hudson and Alexis. Both pregnancies were relatively trouble free. Whilst in labour with Hudson she does have a blood pressure spike which lead to an emergency Cesarean. Tobias and the team eventually do research into the antidote and it was found it did not impact fertility.

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

@openheartfanfics @choicesficwriterscreations

[hopelessromantic1352]

Lockdown

This is based on OH 2. After I replayed it, I realized how I would’ve actually liked to see the book progress through the maitotoxin attack between Ethan and MC. I’m thinking I’ll try to post one or two more that follow the same storyline. Maybe a mini series? We’ll see. Also, hello Tumblr 😆 it’s been a minute.

Warnings: mentions death, poisoning, sickness

Word count: 2,068

Tags: @perriewinklenerdie @shelivesinthewoods @miss-indecisive-says @alj4890 @naffeesaa @hija-del-universo @confessionsofabrokegirl @usuallyamazinglyaverage @radlovedreamland-blog @lilyoffandoms @cordoniaqueensworld @carreraleigh @ethanplaysfavorites @amillionmoonsred @princess-geek @lapisreviewsstuff @aworldoffandoms @paisleylovergirl @llamasgrl @flyawayboo @timmagicktoad-blog @isabella-choices @ihclipse @sparklinglilac @whenyourheartskipsabeat @desmaranj

The drizzle out the window beats slower than her heart. Her breaths come in ragged gasps, the plastic rustles against the air vent it covers, and the only other faint sound is the steady beep of machines outside the quarantined room where she paces.

Beeps that remind her, Raf is still there.

The nausea has increased tenfold, but Casey refuses to sit down. The numb sensation in her feet and hands tingle with every second, but her stubbornness keeps her upright.

“Case, why don’t you rest for a second?”

The usual bravado in Bryce’s voice is gone, replaced with something she hasn’t heard before.

Fear.

Still wearing the mask around his neck, and bloody scrubs, her eyes try to focus on his expression.

Was the fear because of Kyra or herself?

“You’re here. Does that mean..” The raspy whisper that leaves her mouth is unrecognizable.

The young surgeon looks at her with pure anguish. “She made it, everything went good and she’s resting now. Which is what you need to be doing. You can hardly stand, let alone pace around your room.”

As if on cue, her whole body sways and she grabs the foot of the bed, holding still for a moment before her head and eyes clear again.

Only seconds later, the rest of her friends and the diagnostics team arrive. Faces full of fear, pity, and some anger. She knew why they were angry, she was angry too.

“I can’t sit still, I feel like that’s giving up.” Casey tries to keep her voice as even as possible.

“Dr. Ramsey and I found Travis, he gave us a few more symptoms to go off of before he…” Sienna trails off, biting her lower lip as her eyes shine through the glass.

“He died.” Ethan walks in first, leading Baz and June behind him. “But thanks to Danny, we know what was in the canister and we’ve got people working on an antidote as we speak.”

Casey looks to Sienna, seeing her lips purse and eyes begin to water at the mention of the young nurse’s name. The red head’s heart clenches at her friend’s pain, pain she hoped she and Raf wouldn’t be adding to.

Swaying slightly without realizing it, Casey reaches out to Ethan. His arms encircle her, steadying her as June takes her vitals. The ocean blues behind the hazmat mask seem more dull than usual, or maybe it’s her eyesight, but they don’t break eye contact. Somehow, feeling his covered hands and arms around her soothes her. Just being near him calms her and seems to take away the pain for just a moment.

“Her blood pressure has dropped in the last hour, heart rate is elevated.” The no nonsense tone of June’s voice cuts into Casey’s welcomed distraction.

“Why wouldn’t my heart rate be elevated? I’m having the time of my life in here.” At the attempt of a laugh, coughs take over, wracking her frail body and causing Ethan to tighten his grip on her.

“I can’t stand here and watch this. Are we going to go find a cure for this?” Jackie’s fist rests against the window, her face contorted with anger as she watches her friend writhe in Ethan’s arms.

“Hell yes we are.”

Tobias Carrick’s voice carries down the hall as a group of footsteps echo behind him. With Aurora next to him, the Edenbrook doctors look upon the Mass Kenmore group cautiously.

When Casey’s coughing fit finally dies down, the silence doesn’t stretch long.

“Carrick, why are you—“ Ethan can’t hide the surprise in his tone, or on his face, but Tobias waves him off.

“This is bigger than our competition. No one is letting Valentine die.” Ethan’s old friend eyes Casey with sympathy, internally noting the way Ethan holds her gently and protectively.

“We brought all our best doctors with us, they’re at Edenbrook’s disposal.” Aurora walks to the glass, softly placing her palm on it and worrying over her friend and roommate.

“I can’t thank you all enough.” Shaking, Casey tries to stand on her own, but the arms holding her don’t budge.

Her group of friends all start talking at once, saying their goodbyes and words of encouragement. June and Baz excuse themselves as well, telling Casey to hang in there. But the one steady thing in her world at that moment stays put.

“Casey, I—”

At the despair written on her face, his words die on his lips.

“I’m scared, Ethan. I don’t know— I’m not—”

All the tears she held back since the attack, since Bobby, Danny, and Raf, they rush to the surface and flood down her pale, sunken cheeks.

“Shhh,” the suit crinkles loudly as Ethan pulls the frail woman into his arms. “I am beyond terrified too. The one person I care about more than anything in the world…”

Her sniffling pauses at the meaning hanging in the air, but he begins to move them towards the bed, momentarily distracting her.

“Ethan, please if I lay down I don’t know if I’ll get up.”

He grunts a response as he lays down first before gently guiding her down next to him. “You will get up. Some of the best doctors in the world are fighting for you and Rafael, Casey.”

She weakly nestles into his embrace, silence stretching between them as he stares pensively at the ceiling.

“What were you going to say?” Her quiet question makes his muscles tense next to her, and she worries. “If it’s something you're not telling me about this maitotoxin, it’s not easing my mind.”

“No, no, the reason I cut myself off is the fact of the matter is,” he repositions himself so he can look into her glistening brown eyes. His gloved hand reaches up to cup her cheek softly, urging her eyes to close. “Casey, please look at me.”

The yearning and warmth in his voice pulls at her heart, and with no hesitation, she does as he says.

“When I say you are the most important thing in this world to me, and I care for no one more than I care for you, I mean it.” Fresh warm tears pool in her eyes and her bottom lip trembles. “I love you and looking back at how I’ve treated you… us, it has made me realize how much of a fool I was for pushing you away. I have never been able to deny my feelings for you and I believe I fell for you a long time ago. I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to acknowledge what has been in my heart.”

Tears falling, she closes her eyes but her lips spread into a warm smile, dimming the paleness on her frail body for just a moment.

“I’ve waited so long to hear you say that and now I can’t even kiss you to make you feel how much I feel the same. I’ve loved you for a really long time, Ethan. I wasn’t sure you’d ever feel the same.”

With the hazmat suit between them, Ethan embraces her as tightly as he can without hurting her. Wanting to feel her body and wishing this was taking place in his bed, after a perfect evening together instead of a quarantined room after the harrowing events of the day.

“As soon as you’re healthy, I’m taking you in my arms and never letting go.” The finality to his voice, mixed with the adoration and warmth, it causes Casey to shiver at the intensity.

“I can’t wait to kiss you.” She nestles back into his arms, exhaustion beginning to take over as he simply smiles softly and holds her tight.

As she falls into a deep slumber, Ethan can’t help the mist in his eyes or the deep hope that she’ll wake up to a cure.

The next morning, Ethan is startled out of thought as Casey lurches awake and rolls on her side, crying out in agony.

“What is it? What’s wrong, Casey?” He’s on his feet, pushing his chair back, and takes a strong hold of her hand.

The bed shakes under her violent writhing, one of her arms wraps around her stomach as she cries tears of pure pain. “It hurts so bad.”

After what seems like eternity, the pain subsides and Casey is left panting and sweaty, still gripping Ethan’s hand.

“That was new.” Her voice is weaker and her body shakes from exerting so much energy.

She slowly takes her hand away and sits up, still shaking, but watches as Ethan paces away angrily.

“I absolutely hate not having any control over this. There’s nothing I can do to help you and seeing you suffer, it makes me—” He groans and runs his hand through his hair in frustration.

She isn’t looking at him, her eyes are shut and her fingers dig into the bed. “Ethan, I’m not sure how long I can do this.”

That sentence, just a whisper, is enough to break him out of his rant. Enough for him to realize how selfish he is. Enough for him to realize if they don’t find an antidote, he could lose her.

“No, no, no.” He hurries back to her side, holding both her hands in his, engulfing the coldness. “You need to keep fighting. Please.”

His forehead settles on the edge of her bed as he sits back down, his hands holding hers still as he closes his eyes and begins to pray silently. Desperation coursing through his veins.

“We’ve got it!” Tobias is sprinting down the hall with June and Baz, the rest of Casey’s friends following behind quickly. The sounds urge Ethan to stand.

“But Raf, he needs it more—” her whisper is cut off by a violent cough.

Within minutes, the other two members of the diagnostics team are in Casey’s room, donning hazmat suits and carrying a small syringe.

“Don’t worry, we’ve already given him his dose. So save your energy, you’re going to need it.” June grins triumphantly at her sick colleague and then looks to Ethan who’s red rimmed eyes show their utter surprise. “Would you like to do the honors?” She holds the syringe out towards him.

“Absolutely.” As soon as he has the antidote, he steps over to Casey’s bedside and holds her hand for a moment, gazing at her lovingly. “Are you ready?”

A simple nod is enough answer for him. Gently, he finds her vein and injects the liquid, removing the needle when the syringe is empty.

12 HOURS LATER

“Get up.”

Ethan strides into the quarantined room without a hazmat suit and leaves the door wide open behind him. He grins, and despite the exhaustion in his eyes, he looks happy and at ease.

“You mean…?” Carefully standing, but feeling near normal for the first time in the past 32 hours, Casey looks at him, her eyes trailing over every inch of him.

“Your last few blood tests have shown a slow decrease in the maitotoxin and the very last results showed nothing. It’s gone, so—”

His scientific rambling is cut off by Casey’s small body ramming into his. Her arms wrap around him tightly and she buries her face into his chest, breathing him in deeply. “So I can do this finally?”

A simple nod is his only answer, and when she pulls back to look at him, she understands why. His eyes are full and glisten with unshed tears. His large hand gently cups her cheek, his thumb traces her cheekbone.

“And this.” Before she can question what he means, his lips softly press to hers, his free hand slipping down to rest on her hip.

The silent embrace lasts for just a few seconds before he forces himself to pull away. His other hand slips up and cups her cheek so he’s holding her face. The piercing eyes roam over her face, as if he’s memorizing her.

“I didn’t know if I’d ever feel your lips again.” Her voice quivers and her bottom lip trembles when she sees his eyes glisten in the light.

In answer, he leans forward, pressing a firm kiss to her forehead before pulling her against his chest once again. “I love you.”

His voice is so quiet, she nearly misses the sweet phrase. Her voice is muffled, but she responds as her arms tighten around his waist. “I love you too, Ethan.”

[gambit-blogs]

Ethan Ramsey x mc with child

[jamespotterthefirst]

Would Ethan x Lilac do the Elf on the Shelf for their kids? Would they be basic, or go all out with crazy scenes for them every day. Do the parents agree, or does one like it and the other hate it?

They would definitely not do Elf on the Shelf!

It creeps me out, personally 😂

I can also see these two forgetting to move it everyday lol.

[the-prophecy]

I still go read open heart fanfics some days ok

[jerzwriter]

Thank you to @alj4890 for this ask from this list! I loved this, and I'm working on your other two now. No need to apologize, dear, how much have I been bugging you in your inbox! lol

Stranded...

Book: Open Heart (Book 2 Timeline) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Kaycee MacClennan (F!MC) Trope: There's only one bed... Rating: Teen Words: 1,600 Summary: If someone were to ask Ethan or Kaycee how they were getting on during the months following his return from the Amazon, they would have used words like civil or professional. On their best days, perhaps they'd even say friends. But when their trip home from a rural Massachusets hospital goes awry, will that change things?

Participating in @choicesjunechallenge2024 - dialogue prompts are bolded in black in the text (so as not to spoil).

Ask list based on prompts from @creativepromptsforwriting - thank you for the wonderful ideas! The 2 prompts are bolded in purple within the text.

My Complete Masterlist Ethan x Kaycee Masterlist | Open Heart Masterlist

“Well,” Ethan turned back with a half-smile. “At least there aren't any rodents.”

Kaycee rolled her eyes. He insisted on entering the desolate, little cabin first despite being injured. As much as she wanted to argue that if an armed bandit were squatting in their dingy overnight rental, she was in far better condition to handle it than he was, she knew the argument would be futile. Besides, there had been more than a few moments in the past year when she would have been delighted to give the bandit the first shot at Dr. Ramsey. Perhaps this was her chance?

She pushed past him and stepped into the one-room retreat, but it wasn’t as bad as she had expected. Rugged? Yes? Sparce? Without question. But it was neat, clean, and tidy... three of the things Dr. MacClennan valued most of all.

“This isn’t bad.” She opened a small cabinet and smiled; the innkeeper down the road hadn’t lied; there were some treats to be had, and her rumbling stomach couldn’t have been more grateful.

Ripping open a package of Thin Mint cookies, she shoved a few in her mouth and tossed the box Ethan’s way.

“Here,” she smiled when he just barely caught them. “We can’t complain; we’re lucky we found a place at all.”

Ethan did his best to hide his delight as the chocolaty-mint cookies crumbled in his mouth – normally, he’d have a wellness routine to stick to, but right now, this decadent callback to his childhood was just what he needed.

“I still say we could have stayed in my car just fine.”

“Seriously,” Kaycee groaned. “It’s below freezing out there! Not to mention snowing and pitch black. If we hadn’t frozen to death, I’m sure another vehicle would have barreled into us, which may have been a more merciful ending, now that I think of it.”

Ethan turned to her with a huff. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re overdramatic?”

“I don’t know,” Kaycee grinned. “Has anyone told you you should listen when your passenger says it’s best to get gas before you leave civilization?”

He couldn’t decide if he found the smirk on her face more infuriating or alluring, but he knew one thing for sure... she was right on this one.

“I’m sorry. I should have stopped at that Shell station by the hospital.”

The doctors had been summoned to a small hospital in the town of Alford, part of the Edenbrook Rural Medicine program. The director was grateful for their assistance and offered to put them up overnight, but both were eager to return to Boston and saw no reason to delay the long drive. Five hours later, they both realized that hadn't been their best decision.

“Oh, but you have a Citgo credit card, and you get bonus points when you fill up with it. It guarantees you discounts on the Red Sox games, so why would you want to fill up at a Shell before driving onto desolate mountain roads?”

Ethan let out a deep sigh, causing him to wince, before asking Kaycee if she was finished. Noting the pain in his eye, the younger doctor decided to dial her wiseassery back, just a bit.

“Ethan, why don’t you let me examine you. You took quite a fall on that ice...”

“I’m fine. I just twisted my ankle."

“If it’s just your ankle, why did you just wince when you took in a breath?”

He looked at her tenderly as he sat in one of the two wooden chairs next to the smallest table Kaycee had ever seen.

“I’m fine,” he insisted.

Kaycee brought over the rest of the haul from the cabinet, two bottles of water, a box of Cheez-Its, and two granola bars for good measure.

“It’s not much,” she shrugged, “But it will get us through until the morning. There’s a small coffee pot, too...”

“Don’t you dare!” He bellowed. “I can only imagine how horrendous that swill would be! We can make do with the water.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Kaycee chuckled. “Even in these dire straits, you’re still a coffee snob! What are you going to do next? Complain that the cabin doesn’t offer Puccini on surround sound? No quality Scotch on the sideboard?”

He smiled despite himself; he had to admire a woman who knew how to push his every button. Even when she was a colossal pain in the ass.

“No, wiseass! But there is one problem with our accommodation that you might even find complaint-worthy.”

“Nope,” she said, wiping Cheez-It dust from her lips. “See, I’m a grown-up. Desperate times, desperate measures... I’m just grateful we’re here.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Ethan nodded. “Then I guess you haven’t noticed...that.”

He gestured to his left and watched as Kaycee’s face fell. There it was, the sole piece of furniture beside the small table and chairs where they sat, one full-sized mattress nestled between the walls, making it appear even smaller. While Kaycee’s mood dampened, Ethan’s was beginning to perk up when he saw the look of horror on her face.

“Oh, fuck...”  she grimaced.

“What?” He teased. “You’re a grown-up, and desperate times call for desperate measures and all that.”

Kaycee’s mouth went dry, and the two bottles of water they had for the night were going to do nothing to remedy that. She swallowed hard but refused to look Ethan in the eye. “This isn’t funny!” she insisted.

“Do you hear me laughing?”

She turned to him with fire in her eyes.

“Look, it’s fine,” he demurred. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“On the cold, wooden floor? I don’t even think we have another blanket to put atop it?”

“I was a Boy Scout; I’ll survive.”

“Were you nearly forty and injured during your Boy Scout days, Dr. Ramsey,” she sighed. “Look, you take the bed; I’ll take the floor.”

Ethan shook his head; the thought of her shivering on a cold, hard floor was not something he could bear.

“I won’t have it. Why don’t we just share the bed? I promise I’ll stay on my side.”

She looked at the offensive object. It was smaller than her bed back in her room in Boston, and that was pretty small. If they were to share it, it didn’t seem like they’d be getting their own ‘side.’

“I... I don’t know,” she muttered without realizing she said the words.

“Kaycee, we have to be practical. Besides, it’s not like we haven’t slept together before.”

His words hadn’t even hit her ears when he wished he could take them back. He was prepared for the anger in her eyes when they fixed on his – he deserved that – but he wasn't ready to see the pain.

“I know,” she said with a fragile voice, but then the vexation returned. “Twice, in fact. But I have to ask if we make it a third, what far-off land will you need to run off to once we get back to Boston? Considering the Amazon’s already been done.”

“Kaycee,” he said grabbing for her hand, but while there weren’t many places to go in the tiny cabin, she managed to get to the spot furtherst from him in an instant.

“I’m sorry," he said. "That was insensitive of me."

He watched her silhouette in the moonlight as she gazed out the window, rubbing her temples as she grimaced in what he hoped wasn’t pain.

“No, it’s fine,” she replied quickly. “There is no reason for us to make things worse than they are. We can share the bed tonight, it only makes sense. We’re grown-ups. We’re professionals. We can do this.”

“Are... are you sure?”

“Do you have a better solution?” she spat. “But this time, my clothes are staying on.”

"Kaycee," He said, viscerally reaching for her hand, the feel of his touch having a more profound effect than either had anticipated. “I hope you don’t think I expected otherwise.”

She smiled softly, unsure of whether she was relieved, or sad, at his response. “I know...," she whispered, hopping onto the bed. "Let's... let's just go to sleep."

Despite the turmoil, sleep came quickly for Kaycee who was simply exhausted from their day. But the same wasn't true for Ethan. He

Sleep came quicker for Kaycee, who had been exhausted from their day, but Ethan wasn’t as fortunate, he dared not shift in the bed since there was little place for him to go, the slightest shift would feel like an invasion of her space. But the reality was, they had no personal space tonight, and as he felt the heat emanating from her body, he couldn’t help but recall the last time they had been this close, and how many times he had dreamed of it since. He let out a deep sigh. Every time he told himself he was over her, he knew he was lying to himself. But never had it been more difficult to maintain that lie than it was tonight.

But sleep finally did come, and despite the circumstances, it was deeper than he expected, neither waking until the birds chirping near the window became too loud to ignore.

Ethan was the first to open his eyes; the first to endure the inexplicable joy and pain of feeling her hand lying delicately on his hip. He knew it was unintentional, but he pretended to be asleep so he could continue to feel it as long as he could.

When Kaycee woke, she was grateful to see Ethan was still "asleep". She quickly retreated her hand before he was any wiser. Clearing her throat loudly, she rolled onto her side.

“Good morning,” he mumbled groggily.

“Good morning,” she smiled. “Did you manage to get any sleep?”

Ethan rolled over to face her, their faces only inches away.

“Believe it or not, I did. I slept quite well once I managed to fall asleep."

“As did I,” she smiled, and the twinkle in Ethan's eyes grew ever brighter.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

They lay quietly, the sounds of nature and a distant snow plow surrounded them. Not wanting the moment to end, neither made a move.

“Well," Ethan eventually droned. "I suppose we should head out. After we find gas, we can look for someplace to get a proper breakfast.”

He was almost out of bed when Kaycee grabbed his hand. "Ethan, wait. Can we delay getting up a few more minutes, please? I know the real world is waiting for us just outside that door, so can we.... please...."

She didn't have to finish her thoughts, he knew exactly what she was feeling.

"Of course," he smiled, pulling back the covers and slipping back underneath as Kaycee trepidatiously moved closer until her head was on his shoulder. A warm smile came to his lips as he encircled her in his arms, holding her close to him.

They closed their eyes, reveling in the warmth and tenderness that only being this close to each other seemed to deliver. Their dreams had become a reality, even if only for a short time.

"Ethan?" she whispered cautiously.

"Yes?"

"Is this a beginning, or an ending?"

His lips descended onto her forehead, and for a moment all was right in the world.

"I think we're somewhere in between," he replied, as she placed a hand on his chest.

"I'll take that," she whispered. "At least, for now."

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately

[liaromancewriter]

Mine

Premise: Cassie can’t help feeling jealous of Ethan’s admirer.

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. Fluff. Words: 1,315

A/N: Submission for @julychallenge prompt "bold." This is for an anon request from the Kisses prompts: kiss of jealousy. The story is set during their secret dating phase in Lia Land.

If the busty redhead touched his arm one more time, she would not be responsible for what happened next.

Cassie Valentine huffed at the sight of her boyfriend getting hit on at the bar. Not that anyone besides them knew he was hers. Still, it was the principle of the matter.

Ethan Ramsey knew he was taken, but did he tell the other woman off? No! He just chuckled inanely like the selfish jerk that he was.

Okay, maybe that wasn’t entirely accurate. He was a jerk but never selfish.

Didn’t he always make sure she came first when they made love, sometimes more than twice, before he let go himself?

“Hey, Valentine, hit the ball or forfeit the game.”

Cassie stopped staring at Ethan and his admirer long enough to throw Jackie an annoyed look. They were at Donahue’s decompressing after a long shift over beers and pool. But right now, her mind was on anything but the game.

Eyes snapping with green fire, she bent over the pool table, took aim with her cue stick, and struck the cue ball with such force that the other balls scattered loudly in every direction. She got lucky, pocketing two solids before her streak ended.

Just as well. Focusing on the game meant she couldn’t see Busty Red make moves on her man.

Cassie was used to Ethan getting hit on by nurses, doctors and even patients at Edenbrook. It usually didn’t bother her. Most of the time, he was oblivious, wearing a cloak of indifference as comfortably as his white coat.

But tonight was different. He was actually laughing with the other woman.

The bastard!

She took a violent swig of her beer, disappointed to find the bottle empty.

Time for a refill, she grinned wickedly at the idea of interrupting the Great Flirtation.

“Hey, Si?” She called out to her bestie, who was watching from the sidelines. When Sienna walked over, Cassie handed her the cue stick. “Take my turn, would you? I’m parched and could use another drink.”

She walked off before Sienna could say anything.

Muscling her way through the crowd on the minuscule dance floor, Cassie slowed her pace as she neared the bar. There was an empty spot a few stools down from Ethan, but she deliberately eased her body into the tiny space beside him. Her arm brushed against his, and feeling him stiffen gave her immense satisfaction.

She leaned her elbows on the bar, arching her back slightly and pushing her hips out seductively. Her jeans hugged her curves perfectly while her silky off-shoulder top shimmered in the light. She looked damn good tonight, and she knew it.

Reggie, the bartender, gave her a hold-on sign as he served another patron, but Cassie wasn’t concerned, ear cocked to the conversation occurring beside her.

“You must tell him I said hello,” Busty Red gushed, leaning closer, practically hugging Ethan.

Cassie was not a jealous person by nature, but she had her limits. Unable to take it anymore, she pretended to stumble, crashing into Ethan and causing him to spill his drink.

“Crap,” he cursed and jumped off the stool as the whiskey dripped down his shirt and stained his pants.

“Oops,” she gasped with faux sincerity. “I’m so sorry, Dr. Ramsey. Here.” She grabbed some napkins off the bar and started dabbing at the wet stain on his shirt.

Cassie smiled nastily as the woman stepped back from Ethan and wiped the triumphant look from her face before anyone noticed—not quickly enough. He caught her smug expression, and his blue eyes narrowed in suspicion and annoyance.

“Forgot how to walk, Rookie?” he grumbled, snatching the napkins from her hand to swipe at the front of his pants.

“It was an accident, doctor,” Cassie said, trying for remorse but failing miserably as a light giggle escaped. “Uh, maybe you should retreat to the men’s room. That stain is spreading.”

Ethan turned back to the other woman. “I’m sorry, Dee. I better take care of this.” He pulled the wet shirt away from his chest.

He glared at Cassie, then turned on his heel and marched towards the restroom.

Cassie stared briefly at the other woman, who was now watching her with a bewildered look, and walked away, shrugging her shoulder in apology.

Instead of heading to the pool tables and her friends, she made a beeline for the restrooms in the back. She stopped outside the men’s room door, took a bracing breath and pushed the door open to peek inside.

Sighing in relief at the sight of Ethan alone by the sinks, she hurried inside, letting the door swing behind her. He met her eyes in the mirror.

“Happy with yourself?” he asked, lips curled in a sneer. He whirled around to face her. “You did that on purpose!”

Cassie stalked toward him; her eyes were on fire as she stepped on her toes, tugged his head down and pressed her lips against his.

A mix of anger and jealousy fueled the intensity of the kiss. His initial surprise gave way, and he responded, his hands instinctively gripping her waist. The kiss was fierce, almost desperate as if she was trying to claim him, to make a statement that he was hers and no one else’s.

Cassie broke the kiss just as abruptly as she had initiated it, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps.

"Maybe I did," she shot back, her voice trembling with defiance and desire. "But you’re mine, and no Busty Redhead gets to put her hands on you. Is that clear?"

Ethan stared at her, eyes widening as her words hit home. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Instead, he reached for her again, pulling her closer. “Were you seriously jealous of Dee?”

“Yes. She was all over you, Ethan.” Cassie snapped in exasperation. “I know our relationship is secret, but that doesn’t mean I will stand by and watch other women paw at you. Not right in front of me.”

“So, just in private?” he said, amused.

“I don’t find this funny,” she retorted.

He started to respond when they heard voices outside, and Cassie’s eyes widened in panic. The last thing she could risk was getting caught with Ethan in a restroom at Donahue’s. Her reputation could survive an ethics trial but not this.

“Quick, get in there.” Ethan shoved her into a stall just as the outside door swung open.

So, Cassie hid in the stall, rolling her eyes at her predicament, and waited for Ethan to let her know when the coast was clear. This was why she never let herself get jealous.

Five minutes later, Ethan knocked, and she unlocked the stall door and stepped outside. He grabbed her hand and dragged her behind him, briefly popping his head through the door to check the hallway.

“All clear.”

They stepped into the hallway and stood facing each other, a respectable distance between them.

Ethan folded his arms across his chest and stared down his nose at her, as he used to when he joined them on morning rounds. The way his biceps rippled under the sleeves of his shirt made her feel hot under the collar.

“We will discuss this in detail later, Cassie,” he said sternly. “But, for the record, Dee is an old family friend. She’s visiting Boston with her family and could only meet for a drink tonight. There’s nothing for you to worry about.” He looked over her head at the main bar area beyond. “Now, go before our luck runs out.”

Cassie nodded and walked away before she did something reckless again. Like drag him outside and order him to take her up against the wall.

One stupid act was enough for today. She’d worrying about eating humble pie tomorrow. Tonight, she needed a cold shower.

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