#ethan ramsey fanfic

[zealouscanonindeer]

Company

Synopsis: Comfort goes both ways, even in the most unlikely times.

Category: Fluff.

Ethan sat at his office desk, eyes trained on the desktop screen but tonight his attention was not on paperwork or administration details. That had long since disappeared, ever since he stepped down from his role as Chief. Now, he was back to doing what he loved, being a doctor.

With Aspen at the helm of the diagnostic team and leading it beautifully, he was content in sitting back and letting her continue. So he spent most of his time in the clinic and wards, scanning through as many patients as possible. He had also begun writing his second book, the object currently holding his attention. Though not for long..

"Dada! " The tiny voice was followed by a splatter of footsteps and laughter as someone zoomed past his office towards the living room.

He got up, slightly exasperated, he had finally achieved putting Tatum down only 10 minutes back. He had waited until her eyelids had pressed shut, her breathing even and her tiny hand slowly let go of his.

"Tate" He saw her on the sofa, standing against the backrest, her dark hair plopping up and down as she jumped. Her honey orbs started at him, challenging him to make her stop. Suddenly he was stunned by her uncanny resemblance to his wife.

"How in the world did you get out of the crib? " He mostly asked himself.

"I hold the bars and then get on the dresser and from there.. I do this. " She had by now climbed onto the backrest and flung herself off it. Ethan scrambled to catch her, his heart dropping when he realised he was too far away.

She landed on her feet and he sighed in relief, he himself wasn't so lucky. His fall was only half aided by the carpet. His hip hit the floor, causing a light groan to leave him.

His daughter stared at him from above as he lay on his back. Her lips let out giggles before she grabbed his arm.

"Silly dada. "

"Silly indeed. " Ethan muttered, smiling.

She pulled him, indicating she wanted to go somewhere. Ethan found his footing, the pain subsiding as she walked towards the master bedroom. She waited for Ethan by the door,her little legs dancing about, impatient to enter but the dark too scary to tread.

The moment Ethan switched on the light, she rushed in, grabbing handfuls of the duvet to launch herself onto the bed. Making herself comfortable under the covers, she patted the space next to her, looking at Ethan who stood leaning against the door, his features perked up watching his younger daughter's antics.

He sat down next to her and she immediately snuggled into him, his large arm wrapping around her entire body as she blissfully rested her weight against him.

"Why aren't you in bed, my gorgeous tater tot? " Her eyes brightened at the mention of tater tots.

"It's scary dada. "

"What is? "

"The storm. "

The weather had been terrible the past weekend, causing half of his family to remain in Florida, where they were visiting Aspen's family. He had stayed behind as Tatum had just recovered from quite a severe bout of flu and it was unadvisable that she be subjected to plane travel so soon.

"Did that wake you up? " She nodded vehemently.

"You know, it was really scary for me as well. I still find it very difficult to sleep during storms. "

"Does Mommy hold you too, when you're scared and read you your favorite bedtime story? "

"Something like that. " Ethan smirked.

"I miss Mommy. " Tatum sighed dramatically, throwing herself on the pillows and pouting.

"Me too." Ethan admitted.

"You don't need to worry, I gotcha. " She assured, her earnest promise evident in the seriousness of her eyes.

"I know you do. Thank you. " Ethan answered, the reassurance more profound than he expected.

"Let's continue our bedtime story, yeah. "

"Yeah! " Tatum ran across the hall before returning back silently. She stood by the door, fingers in her mouth and mumbled.

"It's dark. "

"Let's go together. " Ethan picked her up, gently removing her fingers out of her mouth and giving her a stern look. She rested her head in the crook of his neck, her tiny hand resting on his jaw absentmindedly.

Having gotten her book, Danny the Champion of the World, they settled in bed. Two chapters later, she was fast asleep. Ethan smiled, looking at his little girl, suddenly finding himself glad that he wasn't alone at home tonight. She gave him more courage than he could fathom possible.

His phone buzzed, vibrating against the bedside table. He picked it up to see his wife's image pop up. He quickly swiped up to see her smiling into the camera.

"Hey. How's it going there. I miss you."

"The storm's still crazy. God, I wish your plane left yesterday, I miss you too. "

"Hmm. You holding up fine? I know bad weather makes you restless. Try to get some sleep, okay? "

It was true, the storms always unnerved Ethan. He remembered Louise leaving before a particularly bad one. With Alan still adjusting to the new life and responsibility, Ethan had braved through one such night all on his own. Ever since then, nights like these brought back those memories with them. But tonight he felt strangely calm even in the midst of one.

" Don't worry one bit about me. " He said turning the camera towards their sleeping daughter.

"I have company. "

*********

@liaromancewriter @potionsprefect @jerzwriter @cariantha @peonierose @rookiemartin @kyra75 @queencarb @genevievemd @tessa-liam @coffeeheartaddict2 @tveitertotwrites @openheartfanfics @choicesficwriterscreations

[jerzwriter]

As Planned

Back in December, I posted This Christmas, when Ethan spontaneously (and ringlessly) proposed to Kaycee while shopping for a Christmas tree. Now, I HC that the ring isn't terribly important to either of them... and with their busy lives, it's not at the top of their to-do list. But after an engagement photo shoot without the "real" ring (Picture This), and Kaycee's mom expressing her concern (Patience), it begins to bother Ethan.

This fic begins as Ethan and Kaycee are in NY, preparing to attend his med school buddy Reynaldo's wedding. As they're getting ready, they learn Kaycee's first boyfriend, Tomas, and his girlfriend, Alessandra, have gotten married. Then Ethan's plan goes into motion. I hope you enjoy this!

Book:               Open Heart (Post Series)

Pairing:           Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Kaycee MacClennan)

Rating:            Teen

Words: 2,170

Summary: Above

A/N: Participating in @choicesjunechallenge Proposal

Kaycee put her phone down, a silly, delightful grin spreading on her cheeks. A glance at the clock confirmed she was running ahead of schedule, so she could allow herself time to appreciate this moment. Moving to the hotel suite’s window, she drew back the ornate drapes and peered down at the busy city below. The irony was just delicious.

Tomas, her dear friend and first true love, was married, and she found herself in the city where their love story had taken place. No more than ten blocks from the campus, where they met, fell in love, and spent three years dreaming of the beautiful future they hoped to create until the day they painfully accepted that it wasn’t going to be. She was within walking distance of his old apartment, where they shared their last goodbye as lovers, not knowing what the future would hold. If she thought about it long enough, she was sure she could still recall the pain. The hollow ache in her chest that never seemed to heal. How it crept up each time she tried to fall in love again, a reminder of the pain that was just waiting on the other side of this new, beautiful thing. It sabotaged her more than once, of that she was sure… until, one day, it didn’t.

Ethan was different from the start, and for the longest time, she didn’t understand why. With all the obstacles they faced and all the mountains they had to climb, she never hesitated. Even knowing the hole in her heart could widen enough to engulf her if she lost him, she persevered. And now, as her fiance dressed in the next room, she knew why. In Ethan, she found her home, the place she was always meant to be. As dusk began to fall, the city Kaycee loved so well became illuminated by a million glistening lights, and she smiled. Tomas had found his forever love, Kaycee found hers, and their friendship was as strong as ever. Perhaps this is what it feels like when the puzzle pieces fall in place, and everything works according to plan.

She was making her way back to the vanity; after all, she had a wedding to get to when Ethan entered the room, looking more serious than she would have expected, given the occasion.

“I’m almost done,” she smiled, running a brush through her long, blonde hair. “I promised you I won’t make us late this time.”  

“It’s fine,” Ethan smiled softly. “To be honest, I thought you were already done. You look… you’re breathtaking.”

Kaycee blushed and tilted her head in his direction. “So you approve of the retro hair?” she grinned. “I wanted to try something different, and since I’m wearing a vintage dress….”

“It’s beautiful. Timeless… just like you.”

Her skin all but tingled when he leaned over and placed a tender kiss on the crook of her neck.

“Now, Ethan, I’m not done with my makeup, and if you keep that up….”

“No,” he said, walking to a nearby settee. “Come, sit with me.”

Her brow furrowed, concern growing. “Is everything OK?”

“Yes,” he assured as she sat on his lap. “Have you seen Instagram?”

“You mean Tomas? I have! Isn’t that wonderful news? I’m so happy for them!”

“Are you?” Ethan asked. “I know you’re good friends, but he carried a torch for you for a long time.”

She brushed off the notion with a shake of her head.

“Held. Past tense. From the day he met Alessandra, I knew she was the one for him, and so did he! Eloping in Greece? That is the most Tomas thing I have ever heard! I’m delighted for them. And now, we get to attend your friend Reynaldo’s wedding! This is such a romantic day!”

“Yes, that it is,” Ethan smiled, but Kaycee knew him well, and she saw that smile never reached his eyes.

“I know you’re not exactly a Hallmark movie kind of guy, but you’ve acknowledged it’s a romantic day… so why do you look so… glum?”

Ethan visibly swallowed before taking her face in his hands. “You’re not disappointed… are you? I know I didn’t always make things easy for us. I mean… Tomas met and married Alessandra in half the time we’ve been together. I just hope you’re not disappointed.”

“Ethan Ramsey! Stop it!” She playfully smacked his chest. “Every couple is different. We all have our own rhythm and face unique obstacles. Alessandra and Tomas didn’t have some of the complexities we faced in our relationship… and… well, we all bring our own histories. This is how it worked for them… and this is how it works for us. All I know is that I couldn’t be happier with my fiance.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled sadly. “Your fiance. Your fiance who asked you to marry him seven months ago, yet we haven’t even set a date. You still don’t have a ring on your finger.”

Kaycee reached over and pulled Ethan’s gold signet ring off of her end table. “Oh, really? I beg to differ!”

“That was supposed to be temporary,” he sighed. “It isn’t your engagement ring.”  

Kaycee held the ring close to her heart, appearing almost hurt by his words.

“Ethan Ramsey, I don’t think you’ll ever understand just how precious this ring is to me. No other ring… no ridiculously overpriced bauble you could ever purchase will mean as much to me as this ring does.”

“I know that,” he smiled tenderly, and something about him changed.

“I’ve been trying to decide on a ring for you…,” he started. “In fairness, your lack of input on what you’d like hasn’t made it particularly easy.”

“I’m not here to make your life easy,” she teased. “But seriously, the ring just isn’t that important to me….”

“I’ve talked to Sienna about it at length.”

A broad smile came to Kaycee’s face. He was smart; Sienna was the way to go! She probably knew what Kaycee would want in a ring more than Kaycee knew herself.

“And?”

“And all we’ve ascertained so far is that if I purchase anything ostentatious, you’re likely to kill me.”

Kaycee burst into laughter, see, Sienna was the right move!

“That’s my bestie! She’s not wrong. Not only would it be an obscene waste of money, but it would also be impractical. I’m a doctor. And I’dwant to wear my ring every day. I can’t exactly do that if you buy me some boulder.”

“I understand all of that. But can you understand why that’s difficult for me? When you attain a certain amount of… success… there are expectations. If I don’t go all out,” he said, pouring a glass of bourbon for himself and offering one to Kaycee. “… I feel like if I do less than, I’ll be judged. We’ll be judged.”

“By whom?” she shot back, taking the seat at his side. “And do we suddenly care about what anyone else thinks? Ethan, eloping to Greece was the right thing for Tomas and Alessa. That makes me happy. I want us to do what’s right for Ethan and Kaycee. I don’t care what others think.”  

“I know,” he said, taking her hand. “But it got me thinking….”

“Always dangerous,” Kaycee smirked.

“May I continue?”

“Of course,” she smiled, then coquettishly sipped her drink.

“I started to think about the couples I’ve known throughout my lifetime. Now, you know I’ve always been a pessimist about love, and I’ve blamed my family history. Terrible examples and all… but I realized… the pessimism was my own doing. Sure, my parent’s marriage wasn’t happy or healthy. But they weren’t the only example I had. My father’s parents, my Nana Emma and Pop-Pop John, they had a beautiful marriage. They always loved each other above all else. They came from simple means but built a beautiful life together; they had two beautiful children and adored each other until their final days. So, I always had an example of what a marriage should be. I just… I just chose to focus on the bad. It was just my own fear blinding me.”

Kaycee put her drink to the side and pulled Ethan close in her arms. Kissing the side of his head as she held him closer. 

“Well, you’re not there anymore… and I’m so proud of you. You finally see that you deserve that love, that happiness, too. I’m so honored that I’m the one you’ve decided to share it with. I wish I could have known your grandparents. I would love it if you and Alan could tell me more about their story.”

“I’d like that too,” he smiled, tears in his eyes. “And if it’s all right with you, I’d like it to begin right now…

Kaycee’s eyes widened as Ethan slipped off the settee and rested on one knee on the floor.

“Ethan, what are you….”

He removed a pink velvet ring box from his pocket, opening it to expose a simple, beautiful art deco ring inside.

“Ethan?” Kaycee gasped.

“Like I said, they didn’t have much money, and according to my father, Pop-Pop began saving for this ring on their second date. He knew she was the one, so he put away everything he could for two years to purchase this. They never had much money, but they were the richest people I’ve ever known, rich in all the ways that mattered. Before you came into my life, I was the epitome of success, but at the same time, I was impoverished. I was walking through this life alone, and outside of work, it was devoid of meaning. I had more wealth than my grandparents could have ever dreamed of, but they were far, far richer than I ever thought I could be. You helped me change that, Kaycee, and if I lost every penny I had tomorrow, I’d still be the richest man alive as long as you are by my side. So, I realized there was no ring I could buy you. The only ring worthy of sitting on your finger was at my father’s house, and when I asked him if I could have it… for you… he honestly cried. So, Kaycee MacClennan, I’m asking you once again, with my grandmother’s ring… will you be my wife? Am I lucky enough to have you say yes… twice?”  

Kaycee bit her trembling lip as she fought to stay in the moment, for she knew it was one she’d treasure all her life. But as she looked down at Ethan, gazing at her with all the love in the world, the precious, precious ring in hand, it was hard for her to believe this wasn’t a dream.

“You know!” She finally sobbed, wiping away the tears on her face. “My makeup was almost done… and now… now… I’m breaking my promise, and I am going to make us late.”

“I think I’ll give you a pass,” Ethan winked. “As long as you answer the question right. What do you say?”

“Of course!” She beamed. “Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you. Just try to stop me!”

Ethan’s chest was filled with pride as he slipped the beautiful ring onto his bride-to-be’s finger, then the two collapsed into each other’s arms. After a moment, Kaycee lifted her hand to admire her new treasure and kissed Ethan’s cheek.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I lied to you before.”

“About?” He asked, a hint of astonishment in his voice.

“I said there wasn’t another ring that could mean more to me than the one you gave me, but… this… look at you proving me wrong.”

Ethan pulled back, keeping Kaycee firmly under one arm; he lifted her hand.

“It looks perfect on you… just like it did on Nana. It was meant to be.”

“Just like you and me,” she sighed. “I love you, Ethan Ramsey.”

“And I love you. I love you so, so much.”

“We have Nana and Pop-Pop love,” she giggled.

“Yes, we do!”

Their lips met in a passionate kiss, any remainders of Kaycee’s makeup now firmly a thing of the past.

“So we’re engaged!” He grinned.

“We’ve been engaged!”

“Yes, but now your mother will accept that it’s official.”

“I can’t wait to show her!” Kaycee squealed. “I can’t wait to show everyone!!”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Ethan grabbed his phone and snapped a picture of Kaycee’s hand.

“What are you doing?” she laughed.

“What? Do you think Tomas is the only one allowed to post today? I’m letting the world know you said yes… a second time.”

“You do that,” she grinned. “I’m calling room service, this bourbon is lovely, but this calls for champagne!”

As Kaycee turned to look at Ethan, glowing as he typed away on his phone, she no longer questioned it. This was precisely how it felt when the puzzle pieces fell into place, and everything had worked out better than she… better than anyone…  could have predicted.

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tags in reblog.

[alwaysmychoices]

Screaming at a Reflection

Synopsis: After receiving the shocking news that Charlie intends to resign and leave Edenbrook, Ethan searches for a solution -- talking to everyone but the one person that matters.

Chapter 39 of the “with and without” series

Previous Series: “a weekend with dr. ramsey”

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

Words: 4.7k

Rating: Teen (language)

Also available on AO3 & Wattpad (link in Masterlist)

Ethan had been awake too long. The exhaustion showed on the creases of his face and the sharp edges of his voice. If desolate Ethan was a nightmare, then sleepless Ethan was something worse.

It had been two weeks.

Two weeks without Charlie in his bed.

And two weeks without a proper night’s sleep.

Not that it mattered, Ethan thought. Sleep was for the weak. Ethan didn’t need sleep as long as he still had his work and a consistent supply of caffeine. She wasn’t coming home, and he would survive. Whether or not he would thrive would was immaterial.

He was never going to “thrive” without her. Of all the ways this story could have ended, thriving was never one of the possibilities. All things considered, Ethan considered himself lucky. Exhaustion and empty nights were bearable; with time, he might even find peace.

But right now, there was no peace. No relief. No respite.

Everything was a fucking marathon, especially sleeping.

Her pillow stopped smelling like her shampoo, which was somehow worse than sleeping next to her memory.

Ethan had been awake when he received Naveen’s one A.M. email requesting a meeting, and he’d still been awake when he stumbled into Naveen’s office at six A.M.

Naveen heard rumors of Ethan’s state. By all accounts, he was a shell of himself – lacking all warmth and embracing all bitterness. Naveen hadn’t quite believed it, but now, he saw it was much worse than he’d imagined. Ethan looked horrible – tired, rumbled, and sharp around the edges. A shell of himself.

A steaming cup of coffee sat waiting for Ethan. Ethan flopped into the chair nearest the mug, and with a grunt in thanks, he grabbed the cup and gulped the steaming liquid – a shame for such a well-crafted cup of coffee.

Naveen reflexively gasped, “You look horrible.”

“Thanks,” Ethan mumbled.

“Did you go home?”

“Yes.”

“And shower?”

Ethan rolled his eyes, “Yes.”

“And sleep?”

Ethan remained silent, staring at his half-finished coffee and avoiding his friend’s gaze. Ethan was many disappointments, but he didn’t intend to become a liar.

Naveen frowned but gave no express disapproval. Another time, it might have been helpful to give his protégé tough love. He might have even forced a leave of absence if necessary. But the ghostly apparition of loss lingered around Ethan. It made him fragile and dangerous. The wrong breath could shatter him.

Comforting himself with his own cup of chai, Naveen pondered his friend's state. He hadn’t known Ethan was this bad. If he had, he would have waited to give this news.

“Did you call me in to say I look like shit? Because, if so, I will remind you that I am paid to give medical treatment, not smile in the hallway,” Ethan scoffed, but really, Ethan wouldn’t have been shocked. All week, Harper tried to do the same by planning lunches and dinners – all of which Ethan declined. Even Tobias had asked if Ethan wanted to talk, which was a particularly bad sign that Ethan wasn’t handling the grief as well as he thought.

“No one has ever accused you of being too friendly in the halls, Ethan.”

The dismissive sound coming from Ethan’s throat was a mix of a scoff and a grunt. Even his rebellion against authority felt tired.

“They have, however, accused you of being a dick this week.”

“And that’s new?”

“I’ve had three crying residents in my office this week.”

“I’m teaching them. That’s my job.”

“Is that what you call it?”

“I’ve been too easy on them this year,” Ethan frowned, “And my method has never bothered you before.”

“Before, your anger was about the medicine.”

“It’s still about the medicine.”

Naveen cast a dubious stare.

Another silence.

Another moment where Ethan and Naveen both quietly wondered if Ethan was faring even worse than he appeared.

“Are you alright, Ethan?”

“Yes.”

“Have you spoken to Charlie?”

Ethan bristled, and Naveen’s heart sank.

“She is the Diagnostics Team Fellow,” Ethan crossed his arms.

“She’s more than that,” Naveen offered tenderly.

Ethan frowned, “She’s my resident.”

Naveen tapped his fingertips on the desk, resisting the urge to push the issue. He knew who Charlie was to Ethan, even if neither had ever breathed a word of their “secret” liaison. Naveen had proudly watched as Charlie reshaped his friend into the better version of himself, and now, it was heartbreaking to watch Ethan revert to his worst traits and emotional self-harm. It was all so unnecessary and disappointing. Yet, Naveen hesitated to intervene.

Charlie and Ethan were the same, both on a path to self-destruction. One wrong move could be a fatal blow. Naveen had once been like the pair, and he’d seen firsthand the capacity of a human being to ruin their own life.

In the silence, Ethan grunted, “I’ll be nicer to the residents.”

Accepting the small victory, Naveen smiled.

 “So, we’re done here then?” Ethan chugged the remainder of his coffee as he stood. He was eager to leave, though he had nowhere particular to go. The only thing that waited for him was his work and Jenner, the latter of which spent much of his day waiting at the door for Charlie to return. Ethan was beginning to think that Jenner would gladly abandon him for Charlie, which Ethan couldn’t blame him for.

“Unfortunately not,” Naveen frowned.

“Are you going to tell me I look exhausted again?”

“No,” Naveen shook his head, though his expression lacked the typical mirth such a sarcastic comment would usually garner, “It’s business, I’m afraid.”

“More intern complaints?” Ethan wondered if he really had been too difficult with his students. Was this an HR issue now?

“As head of the diagnostics team, you are entitled to notice when a team member announces their intention to leave,” Naveen began the well-practiced speech.

Ethan perked up with intrigue, “Oh? Did I finally drive Tobias away?”

“Dr. Carrick intends to stay.”

“Harper then?” Ethan frowned. Maybe that’s why she’d offered all those invitations – so she could share her desire to leave before giving her notice.

Naveen sighed. He’d hoped that Charlie would have told him.

“No,” Naveen’s voice was hardly a whisper, and it made Ethan’s heart stop.

Collecting himself, Naveen donned a professional yet grim expression as he shared, “Dr. Greene has requested a leave of absence from her residency and intends to resign from the Diagnostics Team.”

“What?!” Ethan’s outrage echoed off every surface in the office.

Ethan paced furiously, muttering, “We can’t let her do this,” over and over until it felt more like a mantra than a demand.

“I tried,” Naveen offered diplomatically.

“Tried? That’s not enough! We can’t let her throw away her entire career because of….” Ethan stumbled, only to regain steam to add, “You’re the chief of staff. Do something.”

“As I told you, I tried,” Naveen explained, “Charlie anticipated every challenge. She studied the policy, found an enriching activity for her sabbatical, named a qualified replacement for the team, and premised her request on the need for mental and physical recovery from her trauma last year. Even if we found a way to keep her from going, we’d never survive the public outrage from denying her request. It’s untenable, Ethan, and you know it.”

“We can’t let her destroy her career on a whim!”

“It’s her career, Ethan.”

Ethan’s head snapped back to Naveen, his words a ghost of a fight long gone with Charlie.

“But it’s a stupid choice,” Ethan snarled, “She’s done all this work just to race back to the startling line.”

“It isn’t our choice to make.”

“Like hell it isn’t,” Ethan asserted, “It’s our job to train her. You always said that training me was half medicine and half stopping me from fucking myself over.”

“That was stopping you from telling all the other attendings they were stupid—”

“They were,” Ethan interjected.

“This,” Naveen stressed, shooting Ethan a warning stare for the interruption, “This is Charlie’s life. You know she deserves the right to decide how she lives and how she works. You were allowed to make those choices, and you can’t stop her from doing the same.”

Ethan dropped Naveen’s gaze, feeling properly chastened by his mentor but nonetheless undeterred. Naveen was right, of course. Charlie was no less deserving of autonomy because Ethan disagreed with her, but Ethan caused her suffering. He had been her downfall, and he was uniquely responsible for mitigating the damage.

“So, I’m just supposed to let her throw away her hard work? What do you suggest I do?” Ethan sputtered.

“I suggest you talk to her,” Naveen answered.

Ethan didn’t meet Naveen’s calm energy. Ethan was angry. Furious, even. Anxious. Concerned. Terrified. And fucking heartbroken.

“I sure as hell will,” Ethan huffed, learning into the outrage because it was the easiest emotion to embrace. He scooped up his belongings and chucked his empty cup into the trash.

Just as Ethan was about to cross the threshold of the office door, Naveen called out, “And do so nicely!”

Ethan offered a noncommittal grunt in response. He moved through the halls like fire spread through kindling, causing passing residents to turn around and duck down corridors to avoid him. Not that any of them mattered today. Only Charlie and her reckless resignation mattered.

Ethan found Charlie easily.

She’d come in early to chart – something she’d started doing over the last two weeks to avoid spending time in the Diagnostics Team office. Had Ethan not looked so terrible, the hospital rumors may have centered on her – how the spark had faded from her eyes, the life leeched from her smile, and the interest everything else waned. She would be the prime target for idle gossip if anyone paid attention. But Ethan took up all that space, just like he took up everything else.

Despite all his respect and admiration for her sense of self and her work, Ethan didn’t leave much room in this hospital for her. Once a comfort, his grandiose now suffocated her.

She felt his presence before he said a word.

But he made it known nonetheless.

“What the fuck?” Ethan greeted abruptly.

They weren’t alone. A nurse at the end of her night shift was just down the hall, mulling on a chart, and an eager surgical intern was tucked in the corner, studying for her rounds. Both looked at the couple when they heard Ethan. The nurse, exhausted from her shift and disinterested in their drama, moved locations. The intern hesitated but ultimately left when Ethan shot her a deadly glare.

“Good morning, Ethan,” Charlie didn’t look up.

“Charlotte,” Ethan seethed.

“Ethan,” Charlie echoed flatly. She was the picture of disinterest, but Ethan didn’t believe her.

“You gave notice?” Ethan demanded, holding out hope that it was all a misunderstanding.

“I did.”

“Why the hell would you do that?”

“It’s been a difficult year,” Charlie began her well-practiced speech, “I think I came back to work too early after the attack and my illness. I need time to heal, and I received an excellent opportunity to contribute to medical research at Duke during my absence.”

Sure, Ethan thought. It would fool some people. Even if someone had doubts, they wouldn’t be brave enough to question a survivor about her trauma. But Ethan would.

“That’s not why.”

It wasn’t a lie, but it also wasn’t the truth.

Charlie sighed, finally looking up from her chart and meeting his haughty gaze. She looked exhausted – physically and emotionally. She was a ghost of the woman who first entered these doors, and Ethan knew it was his fault.

A bright young star came into his orbit, and he’d stolen all her shine.

“It’s part of the reason,” Charlie shrugged.

Ethan’s chest squeezed.

He didn’t like seeing her defeated. He didn’t like knowing he’d been the one to beat her.

“You’re making a mistake, Charlie,” Ethan’s voice softened – shifting from an irate command to a tender plea. He just wanted her to understand. To stay, even if she never warmed his bed again. To reclaim the place in the stars he’d stolen from her. It was as much a plea for her future as a desperate search for absolution.

It probably was a professional mistake. Charlie wasn’t too stubborn to admit that. Abandoning her current success and branding herself a victim was likely to carry a mark for the rest of her career in an unforgiving profession. The old Charlie would never have considered it. She would have endured anything just to stand in these halls, let alone be part of this team.

But the old Charlie was gone. That unbreakable tenacity and self-destructive ambition had been beaten out of her – either by her own mistakes, the harsh reality of her time at Edenbrook, or the act of falling in love. Charlie could stay at Edenbrook, but it would break her. And she was tired of merely surviving. She didn’t know how many grand reinventions she had left. How many times could she watch her life shatter and put it back together again? At what point was she the sum of the tragedy rather than being surrounded by its parts?

He should have begged last week, Charlie thought. Then, she was on the fence. Now, she was certain.

“I’m going, Ethan.”

“You can’t,” Ethan heard the panic in his voice before he felt it. And fuck, when he felt it, it was unbearable.

“Excuse me?” Charlie repeated incredulously.

“You can’t go.”

“Is that what Naveen said?” Charlie cocked an eyebrow, daring him to acknowledge that she’d cleverly evaded every loophole. She’d covered her tracks before she made her getaway.

“Don’t you understand what this will do to your career? You’ve worked your fucking ass off for this. You almost died for this,” Ethan evaded the question, taking himself back to their hardest moments – the nights when he’d sworn to do anything to protect her.

“No, I almost died because I loved my friends,” Charlie bit back, “I went in that room to save my friends.”

“You went in because you’re a doctor. And you’re a fucking good one.”

“Don’t use the death of my friends against me, Ethan,” Charlie warned, an edge creeping into her voice.

“I promised to make you the best doctor here. You made me promise you. I fucked up, but I’m not letting you fuck up, too.”

“You’re not?” Charlie’s eyes narrowed, “Well, good luck stopping me.”

Charlie slammed her chart shut, gathering her things and sweeping past him.

Even in her hasty exit, she instinctively paused beside him, expecting some small, tender display of affection that she’d come to expect from their proximity. But when Charlie realized what she was doing, she walked away faster.

Ethan watched her go with a frustrated grunt. He didn’t care if she hated him. He just needed to stop her from being punished for his sins, and he’d burn every bridge to do it.

His first stop was Kyra’s office. If she couldn’t do something in her administrative role, she could at least convince Charlie that she was making a ridiculous decision. But Kyra beat him to it. On the door were two sticky notes – the first addressed to her colleagues to explain her absence for the morning and the second addressed to Ethan. He flipped over the lime green sticky note to read the message.

I already tried. She’s going.

Ethan groaned, crumbling the note and depositing it in the nearby trash can on his way to his next potential ally.

Jackie was second. She took one look at Ethan barging through the halls toward the resident lounge, and she held up a hand, rebuffing him with, “Absolutely not. I’m not participating in this.”

Accordingly, Ethan left the lounge without a word. Jackie was sensible and willing to call anyone out on their bullshit, including Charlie, but her support was always a longshot. Jackie was fiercely loyal and unlikely to betray her friend by siding with the enemy.

Bryce was the third target, and out of them all, he was the most likely to join Ethan’s cause – if not because he genuinely believed Charlie was in the wrong but because he’d always considered himself a friend of Ethan, too. He was probably the only one who would be happy to play mediator between two quareling lovers.

Nonetheless, Charlie was Bryce’s best friend. Out of the two, Charlie would always be Bryce’s priority. Personally, Bryce questioned the decision, and he believed the whole debacle could be resolved if Charlie and Ethan had a genuine. But Bryce wouldn’t be the friend who abandoned Charlie in her time of need, even if he took no enjoyment in rebuffing Ethan.

“She’s making a mistake,” Ethan skipped the pleasantries, cornering the surgical resident in the locker rooms. Admittedly, it wasn’t the best time to talk. Bryce was fresh from the shower, half-dressed, and running late to a meeting with his attending, but ever the loyal friend, Bryce said nothing of the inconvenience.

“Maybe,” Bryce squirmed, tying too many knots on his scrub pants to avoid eye contact.

“She won’t listen to me,” Ethan pushed, hoping Bryce would offer before he had to ask.

“Hmm,” Bryce swept away invisible lent from his shirt.

“She would listen to you.”

Bryce gulped. He still hadn’t looked Ethan in the eyes, which was a bad omen.

“She’s really upset,” Bryce finally spoke, “She’s my best friend. I care about her. When she said she wanted to go, I shared my concerns, but ultimately, it’s her call…. And this could be good for her. She’s been through a lot.”

Ethan frowned. He’d expected rejection, but hearing about Charlie’s suffering took the wind from his sails. A reminder of the permanence of his harm.

“You should talk to her,” Bryce added as Ethan started to leave.

“I tried.”

Bryce tilted his head dubiously, “I mean really talk to her.”

Ethan frowned, but before he left, he murmured, “Thank you, Bryce.”

“If you need me, I’m here for you!” Bryce called out after him, ever the supportive friend.

Ethan said nothing. In the back of his mind, a voice said he should take the offer – any of the offers from his friends and family to lend support. But Ethan couldn’t. He didn’t feel worthy, and accepting support was a muscle made weak by lack of use. Talking about her leaving made it final in a way he wasn’t yet capable of enduring.

Harper wasn’t helpful either. She thought Ethan should be more understanding and supportive of Charlie’s trauma, and Harper believed that Charlie deserved her time away from work. She was so supportive that, at the end of the conversation, she pledged to help Charlie mitigate any ill consequences from her leave of absence. After Harper’s kind but ultimately unhelpful speech, Harper again asked if Ethan was okay and invited him for coffee. Implicit in her request was, What the fuck is wrong with you? Tell me what we’re all guessing. Let me help.

Ethan rejected both the implicit and explicit offers by politely but firmly asking for a raincheck they both knew would never come.

Tobias was slightly better. Overall, he supported Charlie’s decision, but as a ruthless ladder climber, he had a unique perspective on what could happen to her career when less understanding employers skimmed her record. He promised to speak to Charlie and renewed his offer to talk things out. Again, Ethan said no.

For the rest of the day, Ethan looked for a miracle – a policy preventing the move, a coworker to talk her out of it, an opportunity so good that Charlie couldn’t turn it down, or Naveen finding some solution during one of their many calls.

Ethan was losing hope by the time he ran into Sienna.

Of all the allies Ethan could have sought, he never intended to find Sienna. Their last conversation made it clear that Sienna recognized Ethan’s responsibility in this affair, but Sienna’s sole priority was protecting her friend. It didn’t matter if she personally doubted the propriety of their many escalations and immature miscommunication. All that mattered was that Charlie was okay, and Sienna saw through Ethan’s declarations and platitudes. He loved Charlie, but as he stood before her today, he wasn’t good for Charlie.

Truthfully, Ethan had avoided Sienna because she was the one person who saw what Ethan desperately tried to deny. Ethan’s mistakes had consequences, and those consequences included Charlie’s suffering. Sienna placed blame where it belonged – with Ethan.

Despite their best intentions, Ethan and Sienna found themselves alone together that afternoon, having been abandoned by all their unsuspecting coworkers. Once they realized their solitude, an uncomfortable silence followed, but neither left.

“I heard you’re on a crusade to stop Charlie from leaving,” Sienna was the first to speak.

“I don’t think she should go.”

“Why not?” That question was a test. It wasn’t enough that Ethan recognized that this was the wrong ending. It mattered why it was wrong and how he intended to stop it.

“She’s worked too hard to throw it away because of my mistakes,” he admitted, shocked by the vulnerability in his voice.

“She’s taking a leave of absence, not dropping out,” Sienna prodded. She wanted Ethan to be ready. She wanted him to be the knight in shining armor. She wanted Charlie to stay. But he had to earn it.

“She’ll give up all the privileges she’s worked so hard for. She’s brilliant, and you know what people will do when they see this. Edenbrook may understand, but we don’t know that the rest of the world will. She deserves to begin her career at the top, not knocked down because someone sensed weakness in a file they already wanted to throw away,” Ethan responded. It wasn’t his real answer. It was a version of the truth, only part of the story. Ethan wanted Charlie to stay because his world would stop moving if he left. She deserved to stay. She deserved more than running away from a disappointing man and losing her friends and career in the process. She earned her day in the sun, and selfishly, Ethan didn’t want to be the cloud blocking her glory. He wanted her with him, but if he couldn’t have that, he would settle for proximity so he could proudly admire her achievements.

But Ethan said none of that.

He didn’t know how.

“She has an amazing record. With or without a resume gap, she’ll do well.”

“But she deserves more than well. It was my job to prepare her for her career, and I know what she can do. This is my fault. I ruined everything. I am the mistake. She shouldn’t spend the rest of her career – or any of it – paying for me.” This was the closest he got to the truth, but it was only a glimpse.

Sienna paused. A long, thoughtful pause.

It was a good speech, but it wasn’t enough. Even if it had been, Ethan needed to prove that to Charlie, not Sienna.

“I told her to go,” Sienna confessed.

Ethan’s head shot up.

“I know that you love her, maybe even more than I do, so I think you know this version of Charlie isn’t our Charlie. She’s not happy. She’s exhausted, and frankly, she has every right to be. If she keeps pushing herself, she will break. And I don’t want that for any of us.”

Ethan knew Sienna was right. Still, he studied her words – looking for a weakness he could use to save the day. He never found one.

With a voice so small it was nearly unrecognizable, Ethan asked, “Is it me? Why she can’t be here, I mean. Is it me?”

Sienna averted her eyes, both to save herself from his grief and to swallow her shame in delivering the news. She nodded quietly.

A gasp of despair left his chest, leaving a longing ache in its place.

“She loves you,” Sienna explained, “You love her, too. I understand that’s why you’re doing this. I think she knows that, too. But this isn’t working for either of you. You’re talking to everyone but her, and she’s hiding behind everyone else to avoid you. Neither of you are going to change what you want or what you’re willing to compromise. I don’t know… maybe this time will be good for both of you. Maybe time will cool things down, or maybe you’ll be healed enough for…” it didn’t feel fair to raise his hopes for reconciliation, so she said, “Right now, something needs to change, and this seems like the only option. And even if it isn’t, it's Charlie’s choice, not ours.”

There was nothing left for Ethan to say, so he didn’t bother trying. He offered a quiet thank you and excused himself. Sienna didn’t say goodbye.

Ethan moved through the halls like a ghost, unsure if he was haunting himself or everyone he loved. Back in his office, Ethan was useless. All he could think about was Charlie and the gravity of his mistakes. He paced the room, increasingly frustrated with dwindling hope, mounting guilt, and inconsolable loss.

It could have been hours or minutes when Ethan fished out his phone and sent a desperate text to Charlie.

Ethan: Don’t go.

Nothing.

More of nothing.

Finally, the message turned to read.

Then three dots that she was typing.

Charlie: . . .

Then, the dots disappeared, and nothing followed.

Ethan stared at the screen, willing the dots to return. Begging the universe for something. Anything – a hate message, a vicious attack on his heart and soul, or a disinterested dismissal. But the universe – and Charlie – shunned Ethan in the face of his prayers.

When Ethan had nothing to hold onto anymore, the despair he’d been running from finally caught up to him. It gripped him firmly, swallowing every nerve ending and stray thought until all he could feel and think was his grief. A sob built in his chest, but he didn’t know if it ever came out.

This wasn’t right.

This wasn’t how things ended.

Ethan had played the villain in many stories, but he refused to live in Charlie’s memory as the arsonist burning their happy home. It was a betrayal to everything they’d shared and all the love he still felt. Charlie was the love of his life, and the thought of losing her was only made worse by the knowledge that his memory would haunt her.

He could be the mistake.

He could be the worst thing she’d ever done.

He could be the person she hated most in the world.

But he wouldn’t cost her this career.

He wouldn’t take that from her.

Because she was his other half. She was his mirror image. He knew what this meant to her. He knew who she could become and what he could achieve. Charlie deserved autonomy in her career and personal life, but someone had to stop her from making the worst mistake of her life. This was his atonement, not hers.

Despair shifted to anger and back again, circling him in nauseating indecision until the storm settled to resolve.

Convincing Charlie to stay was like screaming at his own reflection. At their core, they were stubborn to a fault. Self-destructive in their self-sacrifice and idealism. Emphatic in hiding their uncertainty in pride. Vulnerable in their greatest displays of strength.

Charlie would never listen to him, and frankly, Ethan wasn’t listening to her either.

A stand-off neither wanted yet neither could avoid.

When diplomatic ties severed, the only remaining path was mutual destruction. Escalation answered with escalation.

Ethan didn’t give himself time to think. He didn’t need to. The idea had rooted. It was this or nothing.

He stormed into Naveen’s office, ignoring the receptionist begging him to wait, and as soon as he crossed the threshold, he announced, “I solved it.”

“You talked to her?” hope rose in Naveen’s voice. Maybe peace was still an option.

“No,” Ethan didn’t acknowledge their fight in the hall. It would have been a lie to call that a real discussion.

But it didn’t matter. Because he’d fixed it.

“I know how to get her to stay.”

“How?” Naveen furrowed his brow.

“I leave first.”

[peonyblossom]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Open Heart (Visual Novels) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Original Male Character(s), Ethan Ramsey/Original Female Character(s), Tobias Carrick/Ethan Ramsey, Harper Emery/Ethan Ramsey, Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart) Characters: Sienna Trinh, Danny Cardinal, Original Characters Additional Tags: 5+1 Things, Fake/Pretend Relationship Summary:

Ethan takes the role of protective boyfriend very seriously

-OR-

5 times Ethan pretended to be someone's boyfriend at a bar and 1 time it was real

[liaromancewriter]

Favorite Ex

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

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

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

Ethan Ramsey needed a drink.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Whiskey, neat.”

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

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

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

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

“Hello, Dr. Ramsey.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, you were!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until now.

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

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

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

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

“Yes. Two years next month.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You never asked me to stay.”

He sat back, poleaxed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@lady-calypso @kyra75 @mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect

@queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @snoopdogcone @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction

@thosehallowedhalls

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @cariantha @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[cariantha]

Scored

Book: Open Heart, Book 2 Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Sawyer Brooks) Rating: General Category: Fluff; Thanksgiving; Christmas Word count: 2.1K Prompt: From @jerzwriter, “Sawyer wants to get Ethan a very expensive Christmas gift that she can't afford. Then, she sees it's on sale on Black Friday at 50% off. Now - she's determined to get it for him, even though she's working that day. How does she get it done?”

Black Friday...

It had been over a month since the poison attack, and Sawyer returned to work just a week ago. Between her overprotective secret boyfriend, concerned roomies, and nosy coworkers, her every move was monitored as she walked the hospital halls. So when she reached for the handle of the supply closet, she looked to the right toward the nurses’ station. No one was paying her any attention. Then, to the left, finding the coast clear. 

As luck would have it, though, Bryce was paying attention. He leaned back from the nurses' station, catching her slip into the closet. He lingered for a few minutes to see if she would emerge with supplies or something worrisome like tears. 

In the small dark room, Sawyer leaned against the shelving and attempted to load the Williams Sonoma website. 

A couple of weeks ago, she searched online for top-of-the-line espresso makers. The search results left her feeling disappointed. The models were way out of her price range. But thanks to the Google ads tracking her browsing history, she was alerted to an almost-too-good-to-be-true Black Friday sale on the fancy coffee makers. 

“C’mon, c’mon,” Sawyer whispered as the website buffered. She should have guessed the network connection would be poor in this room made of concrete walls. 

The spinning circle on her screen showed no mercy. Defeated, she threw her head back and blew a frustrated breath toward the ceiling. 

Having allowed a reasonable amount of time to grab supplies, a concerned Bryce barged into the closet, witnessing her huff. “Brooksie? What’s wrong? Why are you hiding in the supply room?” 

Sawyer looked down at her phone and saw that the webpage finally loaded. “Of course,” she said to herself and sighed. “I’m okay, Bryce. I just needed a minute.” 

His pager buzzed, and he checked the message. “Shit, my patient is crashing. I gotta go. You sure you’re okay?” 

“Yep. Totally fine. Go,” she shooed him away.

Bryce tackled her with a quick hug. “I’ll catch up with you later,” he promised as he hurried out and down the hall. 

🛒🛒🛒🛒🛒

Figuring she could hide out for a few minutes under the guise of selecting a snack from the vending machine, Sawyer stood in the small alcove and tried to load the Williams Sonoma website again. 

Her heart fluttered with excitement as the page quickly loaded. She added the espresso machine to her virtual shopping cart and clicked the checkout button to finalize the purchase.

Excitement quickly turned to irritation when her PayPal password would not work. “Some of your info isn’t correct. Please try again.” The same message appeared after her second and third attempts. She would have to reset her password, which would mean checking her email and verifying her account. 

She groaned, leaned forward, and banged her head a couple of times against the glass of the vending machine.

“Brooks, is there a problem?” 

With her forehead still pressed against the glass, Sawyer swiveled her head to the side and saw Zaid Mirani facing her with his arms crossed over his chest. 

Though his tone and demeanor hid it well, the fact that he asked her a question rather than barked a demand hinted at his concern. She didn’t want to confess to the chief resident that she was doing something she shouldn’t be doing at work, nor did she want his pity, so she straightened and slapped a button on the vending machine. When nothing happened, she looked back at Zaid with a frown. “The machine ate my dollar.”

🛒🛒🛒🛒🛒

Sawyer sat at a table in the staff lounge on her lunch break, hoping the chrome contraption with confusing buttons and levers was still in stock. While the Georgian chicken leftovers Ethan made last night for their version of Thanksgiving dinner warmed in the microwave, she pulled out her phone, reset her PayPal password, and navigated back to the Williams Sonoma website.  

Because she had previously attempted to check out as a guest, the website didn’t save her previous shopping activity, and her cart was empty. On the home page, she was distracted by another gadget that would be a perfect gift for her dad. It was also on sale. Combined with the espresso machine, the total would qualify her for free shipping. Score! She added the item to her cart and returned to the Breville product page, where a warning glared in red font. Quantities are limited - Order soon! Sawyer cursed under her breath and quickly added the item to her cart. 

Just then, her pager rang out with an urgent message requesting backup in the ER. Leaning forward on the table, she buried her head into the crook of her elbow and whisper-screamed. 

Sienna, who received the same page, saw her friend’s display of distress as she walked past the lounge. Immediately concerned, she stepped backward until she stood in the lounge's doorway. “Hey, are you okay?” she asked as Sawyer stood and quickly repacked her lunch.

“Yeah. Just can’t seem to catch a break today.”

🛒🛒🛒🛒🛒

A couple of hours later, Ethan entered the reception area of the free clinic dressed casually—jeans, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes. His jacket was open in the front as if he had been in a rush to leave home—and he had been after Sienna called to express concern that Sawyer was distressed. 

Despite his unusually casual appearance, the administrative assistant at the front desk recognized Dr. Ramsey immediately and buzzed him through the door that separated the reception area from the rest of the clinic.  

Sawyer said goodbye and followed her patient out of the exam room as Ethan rounded the corner and came into view. “Hi, what a nice surprise,” she greeted when he approached. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to check on you.” He looped an arm around her waist and ushered her toward an empty imaging room at the back of the clinic. 

Ethan closed the door, but Sawyer started speaking before he turned around to face her. “I’m fine, Ethan.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” she asked, confused. 

“Pretend.” He moved in front of her and reached for her hands. “You know you don’t have to pretend to be okay with me. If you’re having a bad day… if today has been too much, I’ll find someone to cover your second shift or do it myself. I know you’re trying to make up for your time away, but you’ve been through a lot. Everyone will understand if you need to pull back.”

Sawyer cupped his face with her hands and looked him in the eye. “I promise you, Ethan. I’m o-kay,” she emphasized. “Honestly. I haven’t thought about the attack stuff at all today.”

His eyes shifted back and forth between hers while she dropped her hands from his face to his shoulders and squeezed reassuringly. “I promise,” she repeated.

“Okay.”

“Did you really come in just to check on me?” she asked, lacing her fingers behind his neck. 

“Yeah.”

“Why did you think I was having a bad day?”

“Trinh called me.”

“Why?”

“I asked her to keep an eye on you,” Ethan explained. “It was the first day since you returned that I wouldn’t be around.”

“Ethan, I appreciate the concern, but…” she trailed off, racking her brain to think of anything she did or said that would have caused her roommate’s concern. She came up blank. “What made Sienna think I was having a bad day?”

“She said that you were crying in the breakroom and that Bryce found you hiding in a supply closet, and Zaid saw you headbutting a vending machine. She thought you were overwhelmed and was worried about you working another shift tonight.”

“Oh.”

When she didn’t elaborate, Ethan prodded further. “So, why were you crying and hiding in the supply closet?”

“I wasn’t. It wasn’t what it looked like.”

“Then what was it?” 

“It was noth-”

“Sawyer,” he admonished. “Talk to me.”

“Ethan, I wasn’t upset. I was just mildly frustrated about something. It’s not a big deal.”

“Frustrated about what?” 

“You should have become a detective, you know. You’re great at this interrogation stuff,” she huffed.

“And you’re avoiding the question…” he countered, tugging her close and squeezing her waist. “Frustrated about what?”

“Ugh!” she grunted, pressing her forehead against his shoulder to hide her face. “I was trying to score a Black Friday deal, okay!”

“What?” he asked with a surprised laugh.

“I was trying to buy something online but kept getting error messages or kicked off the internet. I tried again on my lunch break, but that got cut short when I was paged to the ER.”

“Were you eventually successful? Did you score the deal?”

“Nooo!” she fake cried, shaking her head against his shoulder. “I’m sure it’s the universe’s way of saying I shouldn’t have been shopping while working.” 

Ethan chuckled again.

She leaned back and flashed her get-out-jail smile that he could never resist. “Don’t tell my boss, okay?” 

He smacked her backside playfully. “Why can’t you ever just stay out of trouble? Huh?”

She shrugged.

“Have you eaten yet?” Ethan asked. When Sawyer shook her head no, he suggested they head to the cafeteria for a quick meal together before she started her second shift. 

After dropping their trays of food on the table, Ethan went to fill their drink cups, and Sawyer pulled out her phone. She opened the internet browser and refreshed the page. Her lips turned down in a frown when she saw the note on the page: "Out of Stock." Deciding the deal was, in fact, too good to be true, she pocketed her phone to focus on more important things like her dinner companion and her job.

🛒🛒🛒🛒🛒

On Monday morning, a loud snore woke Sawyer just as the sun began to rise. Ethan would usually stop snoring if she tugged him into a spooning position, and she could claim another coveted hour of sleep. But a thought occurred to her as she internally groaned that the weekend was officially over. Today was not just any Monday. It was Cyber Monday. With a glimmer of hope, she quietly slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the kitchen. 

Perched on a stool at the island, Sawyer sipped on a glass of orange juice and pulled up the Williams Sonoma website on her phone. She nearly squealed when she saw that the fancy coffee maker was back in stock and on sale again. She quickly added the item to her cart, entered her payment information, and completed the purchase. She pumped her fists in the air when she got the confirmation email.

“What’s got you up early and so excited this morning?” Ethan asked in his gravely morning voice, hugging her from behind and pressing his lips to the top of her head.  

Sawyer quickly flipped her phone over so the screen was face down. “I was hoping some Black Friday deals would be offered again since it’s Cyber Monday. And they were. I was able to score the deal I wanted last week.”

“Mmm, good for you,” he murmured into her hair. “If you’re done, how about you come back to bed and let me score too.”

Christmas Day…

After working all day so that their colleagues could enjoy Christmas with their families, Sawyer accompanied Ethan back to his apartment so that they could spend the rest of the holiday together. 

The leftovers from the meal Ethan had prepared were now put away, and the couple relaxed in front of the roaring fireplace. Sitting up from where she had nestled against him, Sawyer asked, “Can I give you your present now?”

“I told you you didn’t need to get me anything…” 

She ignored him as she moved behind the couch to retrieve the large, heavy, neatly wrapped box she hauled into his apartment the night before. “And I told you I did anyway when you helped me carry it in last night. Here. Merry Christmas.”

As Ethan started to peel away the festive wrapping paper and got a peek at what it was, he paused and looked up at her with surprise. She was smiling so big and proud. He shook his head when he finished unwrapping it and read the details on the box. 

“I remembered you talking with the owner at Derry’s about wanting one and that this was a really good model.” 

“Sawyer, this is amazing… but I-I can’t accept this. I know what these machines cost. You shouldn’t have spent so much.”

“It’s okay. Seriously. I scored an amazing deal.”

“Was this what you were trying so hard to buy on Black Friday?” he wondered, flipping the box over to appreciate the different features. 

“Yes,” and she nodded affirmatively.

“Come here, Rookie.” Ethan set the box on the coffee table and pulled her into his lap, pressing a long but tender kiss to her lips. “Thank you for being so thoughtful and making such an effort.” He looked deep into her eyes. “I love… I love it. I can’t wait to try it out.” 

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

@jerzwriter @queencarb @coffeeheartaddict2 @quixoticdreamer16 @jamespotterthefirst 

@liaromancewriter @tveitertotwrites @tessa-liam @youlookappropriate @kyra75

@socalwriterbee @txemrn @midnightmelodiz @snoopdogcone

@rafasgirl23415

[potionsprefect]

Everything Has Changed

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Victoria Clarke

Word Count: 802

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

Rating: Teen

Category: Angst

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Did I wake you?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For Victoria. And she mattered more than anyone.

Oops I wrote angst lol

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

[coffeeheartaddict2]

Two to Tango

Book: Open Heart (post series)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Casey Ramsey

Word count: 1099

Category: Smut

Rating: 18+ Mature content

Warnings: sexual content, language.

Summary: It is the Edenbrook Christmas party and a dance leads to some shenanigans.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Pixelberry.

💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃

It was December in Boston. The Christmas lights set an atmosphere that was magical. Even Ethan Ramsey found joy in the season.

The annual Edenbrook Christmas party was fast approaching. It was to be held at Edenbrook. The atrium always looked magical and the excitement was palpable. Being a work event, fraternizing was discouraged, however given the number of on-call rooms and offices, there were certainly places where such dark deeds could be performed. Ethan was very determined to lead by example but his wife Casey had other plans.

She had ordered a dark green dress, high slit, showing every curve, she knew it would drive her husband wild. It had been an up and down year and she wanted to end the year feeling sexy and desired. Ethan had not seen the dress and she was going to meet him at the hospital. She knew it would test his self control no end and to be honest she was hoping he would give in.

She arrived with Sienna, who wore a red dress for the occasion. They were greeted by Tobias who hugged them both. When Tobias saw Casey he knew that Ethan was a goner. Casey mingled with her friends. Ethan finally arrived, dressed in his trusty Tuxedo. He looked around at the room and he was happy to see such a jovial atmosphere then he spotted Casey. His breath was taken away by how attractive she was. Thoughts of what he knew they would be doing later when they arrived home ran through his head. He made his way down to where she was. He put his arms around her and kissed the side of her head and whispered how attractive she looked. She smiled an enticing smile and thanked him. After doing the rounds of the party together a sensual song, conducive to a Tango started to play. Ethan asked Casey to dance to which she agreed. They danced a tango, a rather sensual version that caught the attention of much of the crowd. Ethan and Casey however did not notice as they were caught up in the moment and the thoughts of what they wanted to do to each other in private. The dance came to an end and everyone cheered. They bowed and moved to the edges of the dance floor.

Ethan grabbed two drinks.

“That was a very bold dance Chief Ramsey” demurred Casey.

“What can I say, the song and that dress called for it.”

Casey blushed. “My , Chief Ramsey, I thought you were wanting to lead by example?”

He walks her to a lift and presses the button to the admin floor. When the door shuts he kisses her hard. He then grabs her hand and places it at his rock hard cock.

“I went hard as soon as I saw you, sweetheart. After that dance, there is no way I am waiting until we are home.” Before kissing her again. Casey was already somewhat aroused after that dance but she knew she was certain drenched now.

The lift was mercifully quick and did not stop. The doors opened and they made their way to Ethan’s office. He opened the door and shut it and moved Casey up against it. He kissed her, more gently this time before marvelling at her dress. He traced his hand along her collar bone, down the valley of her breasts. He slid his hand to her left breast and squeezed. Casey let out a slight moan. Casey then kissed Ethan and whispered in his ear.

“Why don’t you fuck me on that fancy new desk of yours?”

Ethan walked her over to the desk and carefully unzipped her dress. He ripped her underwear off and sat her on the desk. He got her to lay back and he got down on his knees and kissed up the inside of her thighs. He teased the nub with his thumb before circling his tongue and then he entered her. “Fuck” Casey moaned. He ate her out, holding her on the precipice until he let her fall, screaming his name. He then got up. Casey undid the buttons on his shirt and undid his trousers and then removed his boxers. She marveled at his throbbing cock. He asked Casey to stand up and she spun her around and leaned her over the desk.

“If I am going to fuck you on my desk we are doing to properly.”

He entered her with a hard thrust.

“Fuck Casey, you are so tight” he muttered. He set an arduous pace from the get go, massaging her breasts as he pounded into her. He felt the familiar sensations and he moved his hand to her centre, circling her nub.

“So close” Casey mutters. Ethan keeps going, even harder until they climax together. He kisses her and he sits back on his chair. Casey takes a minute and then straddles him.

“Round two” she whispers, as she slides her way down his still hardened cock.

She rocks her hips, enjoying her husband fully sheathed inside her. Ethan then thrusts up and starts to kiss her nipples: she moans from the get go and rides him faster. She is still on a high from the previous two orgasms and she knows she won’t last long but she needed this on a primal level. Ethan sensing this, started to play with her over sensitive clit. Casey stopped him and replaced his hand with hers, allowing him to hold onto her when she climaxed. He continued to suck at her nipples, biting lightly. Casey then succumbs, once again screaming his name, he helps her ride it out and succumbs to his own release.

“I love you Casey” he whispers to Casey, who has now collapsed on top of him.”

“I love you too” she whispers quietly. Ethan carries her to the couch where she lays down resting her head on his lap.

“I needed tonight.”

“I know sweetheart, it has been a mixed year.”

“After the miscarriage, I was all over the place and I know we have been intimate since…”

“You also wanted to feel wanted, I understand fully.”

“We should get back shouldn’t we?” Asked Casey.

“Enough to say that we were at the party. I want to ruin that dress.”

“Thirty more minutes at the party then we leave then.”

“A good idea.”

They get dressed, Casey brushes her hair, thankful that she has left a hairbrush in one of Ethan’s desk drawers. They enjoy the party and make their way home to enjoy the rest of the night in private.

——-

Authors note: thanks for the prompt @jerzwriter . I have been in a bit of writers block and also time squeeze so this prompt was perfect. This is set in Christmas of 2023. This year Casey is at the end of her first trimester and still enduring random bouts of morning sickness, it is only slight but she is certainly not feeling up to much. Picture of the dress is below and for those who want to know, the dress did not survive when they got back home.

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

[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.

[choicesficwriterscreations]

Open Heart F/AtoW: Oct 27 - Nov 2, 2024

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

BRYCE LAHELA

Blue Lagoon 📱 | Bryce Lahela x F!OC - @peonierose

Operation with Drs. Lahelas 🎨 | Bryce Lahela x F!MC - @robboyu C: @storyofmychoices

ETHAN RAMSEY

Halloween Lights ✒️Ⓜ️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @jamespotterthefirst

Mad About Matching ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @cariantha

New Rooms ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @potionsprefect

The Proposition ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey, Tobias Carrick - @jerzwriter

Trick or Treat ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @liaromancewriter

RAFAEL AVEIRO

Home is Where You Are ✒️🏳‍🌈 | Rafael Aveiro x M!MC - @silver-rings-and-rabbits

Love In Every Heartbeat (Series) ✒️ | Rafael Aveiro x F!MC - @rafasgirl23415 Chapter 1: Fancy Seeing You Here  Chapter 2: First Date Butterflies 

Our Miracle Baby (Series) ✒️ | Rafael Aveiro x F!MC - @rafasgirl23415 Part 20 Part 21

SIENNA TRINH

Counter Proposal 📱 | Sienna Trinh x M!OC - @liaromancewriter

TOBIAS CARRICK

A Little Obsessed ✒️ | Tobias Carrick x F!MC - @jerzwriter

Peter, Peter 🎨✒️ | Tobias Carrick x F!MC - @callmebeem C: @jerzwriter

The Proposition ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey, Tobias Carrick - @jerzwriter

Treat for Two ✒️ | Tobias Carrick x F!MC - @alj4890

Main F/AtoW List: Oct 27 - Nov 2, 2024

[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.”

[zealouscanonindeer]

Together.

Synopsis: The aftermath of the attack comes with a waterfall of feelings.But is it enough to stop pretending?

Ethan's POV

Category: Angsty fluff. I can never resist a happy ending

Sunlight peeked through the blinds at the blissful couple nestled in sleeps abode. I was the first to stir, stretching as consciousness returned, slowly opening one eye, then another before opening both to stare at the back of the woman who occupied every inch of my soul.

Her body moved rhythmically, even breaths for which I was grateful, ever since the attack seeing her felt like mercy on my heart. I would have died inside had she not made it. I loved her, with every fiber of my being, I did. And I would show her just how much I did, every single moment that we spent together.

I smiled, closing my eyes and sleep lulled me back into its abode.

**********

"Ethan? Hey. " A gentle nudge against my shoulder followed by a kiss on my forehead roused me. I pulled her hand in mine.

"Penny."

"Wake up, sleepyhead. It's almost noon. "

" Perfect time to come back to bed. " I turned to my side, pulling her hand with me, her body following.

"Who are you and what have you done to my Ethan? "

"It's you Rookie, what are you doing to me? "

She giggled, sitting by my side, bending over me. Suddenly water slapped against my face, making me jerk back, my eyes flying open.

"Oh, sorry. "

Aspen moved her wet hair back over her right shoulder. I looked up to see her smile sheepishly at me, leaning down to peck my lips lightly. I held her against me, her bathrobe soft against my skin, not allowing the kiss to end. Her lips moved in a perfectly synchronized manner, tasting of honey. Needing air, we broke away.

I laid back, staring at her as she brushed my hair back, her fingers running through them, instantly relaxing me.

"Why are you looking at me like that? "

"Like what? "

"With that wierd look in your eyes. " I couldn't in that moment fathom how I had ended up finding her, how I would treasure her forever.

"I was just thinking"

"About? "

I wasn't gonna tell her just yet but she meant everything to me, how I would never hurt her again. I flipped us over so that she was under me. I hovered over her, kissing her once more.

She smirked at me.

"As much as I would like to, you have a shift. At a hospital you work at, as a doctor. " She teased.

**********

Reluctantly, I picked up my belongings and car keys, giving Penny a lingering kiss, hugging her tightly.

"Someone's all lovey dovey today. " She pecked my clothed shoulder. Ignoring her astute observation, I quickly steered the conversation in a different direction

"When are you coming in again? "

"At around 7. I have a night shift today."

Noticing my slightly deflated look, she chuckled. I bade her goodbye, walking out to another day at Edenbrook.

The day continued like always, annoying interns, diagnostic cases and a couple of hours at the clinic. It was time for my shift to end, packing up my stuff I headed out, popping into the resident quaters to greet Aspen where I was informed she wasn't in yet.

I called her but she didn't answer, which was usual, and utterly annoying. I walked out to get into my car, winding through Boston traffic when the car bluetooth pinged with Penny's name.

"Hey. Where..." Her hoarse gasp shut me up.

"Ethan. Where are you? " Her laboured breath hitched as she gasped into the receiver.

My heart clenched with fear, breaking into a cold sweat I calmed my rising anxiety.

"Darling? What's wrong? "

"I need you to come quick. "

"Hold on, I'm almost there. Just hold on. " I prayed and begged her.

********

"Rookie "

"ROOKIE" Jenner barked frantically, running towards me.

"Here." A whisper called out to me from the kitchen floor.

I knelt down by Aspen's weak form, helping her into a sitting position, supporting her weight. She had a pretty bad bruise on the side of her shoulder, already turning black and blue. Jenner stood by my side, worried at the scene before him. She looked up at me and smiled weakly, trying to put on a brave face so I wouldn't worry.

" Don't worry, I just felt dizzy and blacked out. I hit the counter on my fall." She moved her arm, wincing.

"It's probably due to the anemia. You'd warned me it was a common after effect of the toxins I was exposed to. "

" You're right. I'll drive you to the hospital and get you set up. " She nodded as I picked her up.

*********

I pulled the car into the parking space, getting my seatbelt off and ready to open the door when she stopped me.

"Wait! "

"What? " I scanned her, noticing the alarmed look in her eyes.

"You can't take me inside and somebody might see me get off from your car. Drop me at the back entrance and then go home. Your shift's done, it will be suspicious if you return five minutes after I'm here. "

"Have you lost it! I'm going nowhere. "

"But, Ethan everyone will know.. about Us. " My insides fluttered at her words.. Or one word in particular. Us. I didn't care anymore.

"Then let them. " I looked at her earnestly. The way her eyes lit up at my decision had me wishing I had done it long ago.

"Let's go in, together. " I offered.

"Okay." She pushed the seatbelt off as I opened the door for her and helped her out. I steadied her, walking her in through the hospital doors.

**********

"Dr Ramsey! Um.. You're gonna..? " Marlene startled seeing me walk into Penny's room.

"Yes Marlene, I'm gonna sit by my sick girlfriend for the entire night. "

"Of course. " Marlene smiled a genuinely happy smile, leaving as she completed her last call, ready to hand over the floor to the next nurse on duty and head home.

The hospital was in quite a stir now. Hushed whispers and shocked indiscreet looks, everyone trying their best to hide their surprise and failing. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose, we weren't exactly parading being together, we just weren't hiding it anymore. I was tired of it.

Knowing how precious time was, knowing how much of it was already gone, not knowing how much was left, a chill ran down my spine just thinking about having regrets. This... Us it wasn't something to be kept like dirty secret. I wanted people to know I loved this woman and she deserved nothing less than that.

I sat lost in my thoughts when a small voice called out to me.

"Ethan."

"Rookie, hey, what's wrong? "

"Nothing.Could you just get the bed into a sitting position. " I turned the lever, pushing her slightly up.

"Thank you. For tonight. "

"What do you mean? "

Her eyes turned warm and glazed, she had beautiful eyes, the chocolate orbs stared at me with so much understanding, I couldn't help but fall in love all over again. Man, I had it bad.

"For showing how much this means to you. Us"

I simply kissed her forehead, words leaving me. I was done living safe. This was definitely a risk but when it came to her...She was worth every risk in the world.

**********

@liaromancewriter @potionsprefect @jerzwriter @cariantha @peonierose @rookiemartin @kyra75 @queencarb @genevievemd @tessa-liam @coffeeheartaddict2 @openheartfanfics @choicesficwriterscreations

[jerzwriter]

A scene with T’s reaction to finding out he does not have the right equipment

Hey Tash!

For those who don't know, this is in response to Ethan & Kaycee's conversation in Almost Home. I think it deserves a ficlet. 😉

Sorry, Tobias

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Kaycee), Tobias Carrick Rating: Teen Words: 1,300 Summary: Tobias wants Kaycee to introduce him to her gorgeous friend, but when he won't take no for an answer, Kaycee has to set him straight. (No pun intended 😂) Participating in @choicesmonthlychallenge | Friends

It wasn't often that Ethan Ramsey took a day off, even after Kaycee convinced him that there was more to life than work. Sure, they took some trips... all planned well in advance... and if there was an emergency, he would call out. But on a whim? For fun? That would never be Ethan. Or Would it?

Since they were together, he and Kaycee never spent more than a few days apart, so her week-long business trip was a challenge for both. When Tobias suggested he take her first day back in Boston off and share some quality time together... Ethan jumped at the chance. Maybe things can change!

But after enjoying a delightful day off, Etha was quite eager to return to work, showing up an hour before his shift began.

"Hey, Boss!" Tobias grinned when Ethan entered the team's office. "Didn't expect to see you this early."

Ethan raised a brow at his friend. "Really? Have I given the appearance of someone who likes to be away from work for long?"

"It was one day," Tobias laughed. "And it depends. Pre-Kaycee, nah... you never gave that impression. You were an insufferable bore. But post-Kaycee, that's a whole other story. You almost seem human, so, yeah, I'm surprised."

Normally Ethan would engage in some verbal sparring with his friend and colleague, but all he did was offer a twisted grin. Even he had to admit it was true... things were different now that he had Kaycee, but she understood how time away from work unexpectedly left him with a nervous twitch.

"So, did you enjoy your day off?" Tobias teased. Ethan tried to ignore him, but the look on his face told Tobias all that needed to know. Clearing his throat, Ethan attempted to change the topic.

"I should thank you again. I wouldn't have been able to take the day if you hadn't offered to pick up my cases."

"Don't mention it, buddy. Always happy to help."

Ethan sat across from Tobias, and the two men began looking over their cases when Ethan thought back to something Kaycee had said.

"Are you?" He asked out of the blue.

Tobias looked around, a bit confused. "Am I what?"

"Are you always happy to help?"

"Yeah," Tobias replied, appearing to be offended at his words. "Can a man not do his friend a favor without being suspect? Jesus, Ethan! I'm not looking for a raise or something if that's what you're thinking....."

"I'm sorry," Ethan responded. "I know that... but," he chuckled. "I didn't think it was a raise you might be angling for."

Tobias shut his notebook and glared across the table. "Oh really? And what is it you think I was after... when I was just doing something nice for you and your girlfriend!"

“Kaycee did mention you showing an interest in a friend of hers… that’s all….”

“You know, Ethan, I’m hurt. The thought never crossed my mind… well, at least not in relation to this….”

“I believe you….”

“Well, I’m insulted!”

“Tobias, I apologized. It wasn’t my intent to insult you.”

“Good! Because now…” he stalled, with a shake of his head. “You know, forget it.”

“No,” Ethan insisted. “Continue.”

“I sort of forgot about her…. but now that you brought her up... well, yeah, I'd like to ask Kaycee about her. But now, if I do, it looks like that’s the reason I helped, which isn’t true. So essentially, what I’m saying is… you suck, Ramsey.”

Ethan couldn’t help but laugh. “Don't worry, many others share your sentiment. But you’re worrying for nothing because Jessica is a no-go for you.”

“Jessica?” Tobias sang as if the name alone set him on fire.

“Yes?”

“Nothing,” Tobias smiled salaciously. “It’s just that she’s a gorgeous, she’s a redhead, and….”

“And?”

“Jessica Rabbit,” Tobias growled as Ethan dragged a hand down his face.

“As I said….” Ethan declared. “Jessica is a no-go. That was true before your last comment, and it’s even more true now.”

“And why is that?" Tobias protested. "You know… I’m a good-looking guy, right?”

“I mean, you’re not my type….” Ethan countered.

Ignoring him, Tobias continued. “I’m charming, have a good personality… I’m a doctor… well educated, intelligent, loaded….”

“You forgot humble,” Ethan added.

“My point is, why can’t I take a shot with her?"

“She lives in Denver,” Ethan sighed. “Besides, with your track record, I don’t think setting you up with Kaycee’s friends is in the cards.”

“Oh, so you’re the only one capable of change? Maybe seeing what you and Kaycee have has me wanting that for myself. And Denver? No sweat… I can do long distance. It might be just the thing for me… you know… as I ease into my new, domesticated era.”  

“No! End of story!” Ethan looked at his watch. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to speak with Dr. Donaldson before our team meeting.”

He got up and walked toward the door, abruptly turning around right before reaching it.

“And Tobias… don’t bother Kaycee with this. OK?”

“Don’t bother Kaycee with what?” a melodic voice asked.

Ethan turned to see Kaycee smiling brightly as she walked through the door.

“Kaycee….” Tobias grinned as Ethan let out a groan.

“Tobias, don’t….”

“Didn’t you need to see Dr. Donaldson before our meeting?” Tobias chastised. “Based on the clock, you have fifteen minutes. Now, seriously, how much damage could I do in fifteen minutes?”

“An awful lot,” Ethan insisted.

“Go see Donaldson!” Tobias hollered.

Ethan put his arm around Kaycee and offered her a sympathetic smile. 

“I can handle Tobias,” Kaycee grinned before planting a kiss on Ethan’s lips.

“Gross,” Tobias mumbled.

After shooing Ethan out the door, Kaycee turned back to her teammate with a smirk.

“Gross? Really? I think you’re just jealous, Dr. Carrick.”

“Maybe you’re right, MacTavish. Maybe I want a brilliant, beautiful doctor of my own to nuzzle with. In fact, about your friend, Jessica….”

“I knew that’s why you covered for Ethan!” She playfully accused.

“No, it’s not!” He exclaimed, not picking up on her humorous tone.

“I know that,” Kaycee chortled. “Take it easy… but Jessica isn’t happening.”

“You too?” He replied with disgust. “What’s with you two? Ethan can change… he can be reformed, but I can’t.”

“I never said that,” she replied thoughtfully. “In fact, I’m confident that if you meet the one, you will be amazing husband material.”

“Husband material,” he gasped. “Slow down there, sweetheart… let’s not get ahead of ourselves now, OK? I’d just like an introduction to Jessica. We’ll see what happens after that.”

“No.”

“Why? Denver isn’t an issue for me. I….”

“No!”

“Why?”

“Because,” Kaycee flung her hands in frustration, “because you don’t have the proper equipment, Tobias.”

“Excuse me?” he sputtered. “I’ll have you know my equipment is top-notch, dear! Grade-A certified! I can get you references if you like. I assure you, it’ll be all 5-stars, enjoyed myself, would do again….”

“OK! Stop!” Kaycee held up a hand. “Stop! Please! No more! But Tobias, NO! See, Jessica…. Jessica is my ex-girlfriend, and no, she isn't bisexual. So… you really have nothing to offer her in this regard.”

Tobias raised a brow. “Wait… your ex-girlfriend?”

“Yes. Do you have a problem with that?”

“NO!” He affirmed. “No problem at all, it’s just… huh… you learn something new every day.”

“So anyway... while I agree, Jessica is an incredible catch… I’m afraid you’re not the right person to catch her.”  

“Too bad… because she is a catch. If we’re being honest, I’m stumped over why you'd pick Ramsey over her…. if given the choices, I think….”

“Tobias….” Kaycee scolded.

“I’m just busting you,” he winked with his signature, charming smile. “But… do you have any other gorgeous, brilliant friends you'd be willing to hook me up with?”

Kaycee crossed her arms and gave him the once-over.

“Hmm… perhaps in a couple of years… after I put you through finishing school.”

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Additional tags in reblog.

[openheartfanfics]

Newly Added Fics

Oct 12 - 18, 2024  

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

Ethan x F!MC

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

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

Rafael x F!MC

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

Part 15

Part 16

Sienna x M!OC

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

Tobias x F!MC

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

_

SUBMIT OPEN HEART FICS & WRITERS HERE

[peonyblossom]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Open Heart (Visual Novels) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart) Characters: Ethan Ramsey, Main Character (Open Heart) Additional Tags: Sickfic, Fluff and Angst, Chemical Attack Trauma Summary:

When Sydney has to stay home sick from work, Ethan's anxiety gets the better of him.

[liaromancewriter]

Sugar Bugs

Premise: The twins visit the dentist's office.

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine); feat. Ramsey Twins (OC children) Rating/Category: General. Fluff. Words: 745

Eloise Ramsey loved sweets. It was just too bad that her teeth didn’t share the sentiment.

She half-listened to Mindy, her dental hygienist, as she updated her mom on the cavities she found during the check-up. El didn’t need to pay attention because Mindy had already told her everything.

She and Sophie had been going to Dr. Baker’s office for years for their teeth cleanings and check-ups. Mindy was part of the team, and El liked how she didn’t treat them like babies, so she always asked for her.

She stared at the ceiling and sighed deeply, the weight of the world on her shoulders. She just knew her dad would use this as an excuse to cut her off from all the sugary goodness that was her weakness.

El gave her mom’s profile a shifty, side-eyed look. If she thought about it, it was her parents’ fault for filling their home with cakes, candy and other sweets. She wouldn’t be tempted to eat sugar if they didn't buy them.

So, really, she shouldn’t be held responsible for doing what kids did. She was only nine and at the mercy of adults.

She glossed over the fact that her parents doled out sweets in moderation and only on special occasions. It was immaterial to the indignation playing out in her head.

The door to the exam room swung open, and Sophie rushed inside, followed by a smiling Dr. Baker.

“Guest what, El?” Sophie exclaimed, tugging at her sister’s arm before continuing excitedly. “Dr. Baker said my teeth are perfect!”

Of course, they were. She loved her sister to the moon and back, but there was no denying she was perfect at everything. Little Miss Perfect. El rolled her eyes internally, stopping midway when she realized Sophie had seen the gesture.

Instead of being offended, she grinned and stuck out her tongue. El smiled. This is why she loved her twin. Where others might bristle at her sharp remarks, Sophie always took them in stride.

“Well, young lady, let’s have a look,” Dr. Baker called out a little too cheerfully for El’s taste.

The man really did love staring into people’s mouths, she thought wryly as he pressed a button to lower the chair.

He parked himself on the padded stool and rolled closer, grabbing one of the shiny instruments from the tray before peering into her open mouth.

“Yep, those definitely look like sugar bugs,” he said with a nod, his brown eyes crinkling at the corners.

His childish description, one that used to make her giggle when she was five, now only made her roll her eyes. At this rate, she’d hit her daily quota of eye rolls before noon.

“They’re called cavities,” El muttered dryly, the snark creeping into her voice.

He smiled. “Ah, but calling them ‘sugar bugs’ makes them seem much less scary, don’t you think?”

Sophie giggled from the corner, always entertained by the dentist’s antics. El shot her a look that said traitor.

“Yeah, sure, because what could be more terrifying than a bug made out of sugar?” El replied, deadpan.

Dr. Baker chuckled, completely unfazed as he continued his examination. “Looks like this apple didn’t fall far from the Ethan Ramsey tree.”

“She’s definitely her father’s daughter,” her mom commented, a hint of laughter in her voice.

“The cavity isn’t too bad,” Dr. Baker said, straightening his back and glancing at his watch. “I’ve got time now. It shouldn’t take more than thirty minutes, and it’ll save you a follow-up visit. I know how busy you and Ethan are these days, Cassie.”

"El?" Mom prompted, looking over at her.

Forgetting her earlier irritation at her parent’s role in her current predicament, El softened at the question. She appreciated how her parents always let her and Sophie make their own decisions. Her mom could’ve pulled rank, but she rarely did, and her dad was the same. They actively encouraged their daughters to be independent and make their own choices.

El exhaled dramatically, giving a mock royal wave. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

“That’s the spirit,” Dr. Baker nodded, turning away to prep his tools.

“We’ll be in the waiting room,” her mom said, gently squeezing her shoulder. “Come on, Sophie.”

“Good luck, El!” Sophie called out with a grin, following their mom out of the room.

Dr. Baker leaned over her, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “And don’t worry. Those ‘sugar bugs’ don’t stand a chance.”

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