#my dearest dearest Kyra I will miss you for the rest of my life

[sad-bitch-hrs]

Losing a dear friend is so unbelievably sad. This is my first time going through it and it consumes all my waking thoughts. I sometimes feel as though I cannot breathe around the ache of missing her and the guilt of not being there. How does one ever move on from this moment in time.

[queerchoicesblog]

The Gala (OH, Harper x F!MC)

Nobody asked for a sequel of Unexpected News (& Misunderstandings as well) but I wrote it anyway! As my confidence in a good Book 2 for Open heart decreases every day, I found myself missing my non-canon slowburn pairing and voilà: the night of the gala brings some good news and an unexpected -and long waited- turn of events for Dr. Emery and Dr. Valentine. Special thanks to Kyra :D

Perma Tag: @brightpinkpeppercorn @bhavf @melodyofgraves @abunchofbadchoices @silverhawkenzie @strangerofbraidwood @kamilahmykween @desiree-0816 @universallypizzataco @gayestchoices @embarrassingsmartphonegame @lilyofchoices @somewillwin @allaboutchoices  

Harper x F!MC Tag: @andi-the-cat @korrasamixfan @delphinusbae @noeschoices @jellymonster

Word Count: 2250

Disclaimer: For previous chapters of the Harper x F!MC, check my masterlist (too lazy to post all the links her) + I mentioned Avery Wilshere, in this fic it will be a male Avery as I pictured it male in my Platinum playthrough, sorry for that!

__________________________

The Edenbrook Hospital Fundraising Gala was in full swing. Everything was surprisingly running smoothly: Dr. Naveen Banerji gave a gracious and inspiring keynote speech, acknowledging and praising the hard work of the medical staff and encouraging patrons to support research and the new pioneering programs in favor of the community launching soon. The gala guest Avery Wilshere took the stage and echoed his words, remembering how the doctors of Edenbrook went above and beyond to cure and eventually save the life of one of his dearest friends before charming the audience with his soft voice and ballads.

Dr. Valentine had never been to a gala before: she felt thrilled and awkward at the same time standing there, in a fancy hall, dressed to the nines eating canapes and sipping expensive wine. Shaking hands with embarrassingly rich people and trying to look her best professional self while enjoying the party. She took a moment to check in on her friends. A soft smile drew on her lips as she spotted Sienna and Danny slow dancing downtempo and lost in each other's arms on the dance floor. Not far a visibly smitten Phoebe was adjusting Elijah's bowtie, spreading a blush over Dr. Greene's cheeks. Seeing her friends happy and in the company of their loved ones comforted her, a content feeling taking in inside her. Then she noticed Bryce and Jackie bantering at the bar and shook her head laughing. She rejoiced again seeing the shade of pink on Aurora's face as she shyly nodded and squeezed closer to a smiling Raphael for a selfie. It was so endearing how the young Dr. Emery still struggled a little to come to terms with the genuine affection all of them showed her, to people around her age willing to include her, Aurora, without ulterior motives than to enjoy her company.

Now it was her turn. She took a quick nervous look to Kyra who just nodded and winked in encouragement. I suppose you don't exactly have a choice, self, she thought, sighing to steady herself and turn. She surfed through the crowd, flashing quick smiles to fellow doctors as she passed by...until she saw her. The breath caught in her throat as she froze in place: Harper was glowing in an elegant blue dress - blue navy was definitely Harper’s favorite color- and finely jeweled, crimson over her perfectly shaped lips. The Head of Neurosurgery was in the company a bunch of doctors and wealthy patrons: she looked perfectly at ease, chatting and sipping a glass of champagne. Dr. Valentine diverted her eyes, pondering her options.

Nah, maybe it wasn't the right time. It was silly, maybe she should leave and..

But it was too late: when she raised her eyes again, she met Harper’s, looking in her direction. She gave her a quick smile and a nod, that Meredith immediately mirrored still wondering if she should just keep walking and pretend she wasn’t just passing by. Dr. Emery anticipated her once again. The neurosurgeon graciously excused herself and parted from the group, heading straight towards the young fellow.

“Hello, Valentine. Enjoying the party?” she greeted her with a smile.

"Oh yes, it's..." Meredith's eyes wandered around the hall looking for the right words. "Amazing. And impressive. Dr. Banerjii and the board went above and beyond for this gala night"

"Indeed" Dr. Emery agreed, following Meredith's gaze before looking back at her. "I noticed that Naveen and Ethan showed you off to the VIP guests over here"

A light blush spread over Valentine's face as she minimized.

"They just introduced me, I wouldn't go that far...but it was kind of them, I guess"

Harper flashed a quick smile as if she was expecting that kind of answer.

"I'm glad they did. After all you've been through, you deserved a little victory lap, Valentine"

"Do you think so?" Meredith sighed.

"You know me: have I ever said anything I didn't mean?"

Meredith offered a weak smile and shook her head in response. Then she remembered her chat with Kyra and she felt conflicted again, but Harper was giving a look filled with curiosity as if she read her mind and knew, just knew that she was keeping something from her.

"Actually, Dr. Emery I was kind of...hoping to bump into you"

"Really? What's the matter?" Harper asked, shifting slightly to listen more carefully.

“This is…embarrassing, very silly I should probably-” Meredith started but froze mid.-sentence.

“I’m sure it’s not. So?” Harper inquired, taking a sip of her champagne.

“Well…” Meredith swallowed hard and fiddled with her own hands “I somehow got involved in a bet”

“A bet?” Harper echoed, flashing her an enigmatic and slightly amused smile. “What kind of bet, if I may? Please tell me it has nothing to do with scalpels because I don’t have one in my purse. Stupidly I forgot to bring them to the gala”

“Oh no” Valentine chuckled. “It’s…Kyra, the girl over there….she bets that I...well that I would never have the guts to ask you to dance”

“Oh” Dr. Emery raised a surprised eyebrow to her before cocking her head to look over Valentine’s shoulder.

On the other side of the room, a young woman wearing a colorful turban excitedly waved at her with a big smile.

“And what did she ask you to do if you failed?” Harper asked, waving back at Kyra.

“Running the upcoming Boston marathon on her behalf”

“Well, I was expecting something worse to be h-”

“Barefoot and wearing a t-shirt that says ‘too chicken to ask Dr. Emery to dance’”

Harper gave her a long look before both of them burst into laughter.

“I know it sounds ridiculous but it’s also tragic on my end” Meredith chuckled.

“It seems you have quite a lot to lose here, Valentine. Now the question is…what are you gonna do?”

“W-what do you mean?” Meredith asked suddenly less confident than before.

Harper gave her an amused smile and leaned a bit closer:

“You haven’t asked me to dance yet. If that’s what you wanted to do”

“Oh, yeah, right!” Meredith mumbled before recollecting herself.

The notes of one of Avery's most loved song started playing in the background as if on cue, eliciting a round of applause and cheer from the audience.

“Will you dance with me, Dr. Emery?”

Harper gave her one of her long looks before breaking into a smile and stopping a man in a dashing tuxedo passing by.

“Grant, dear, sorry. Would you mind holding that for me?” she asked, handing him her glass.

“Sure, Harper. Hitting the dance floor?” he asked winking at the two of them.

“I think so” she smiled back.

“Cool, just don’t ask for your drink later, Harper! Have fun, ladies!” he said with a huge grin before being approached by another patron.

Dr. Emery shook her head and turned towards Meredith, flashing a smile.

“Shall we?”

Meredith's knees threatened to give in as Harper gently grazed her arm, a light touch that made her heart flutter, but she managed to keep walking and mirror the neurosurgeon's smile.

Kyra later smiled to herself observing the two women dancing in the crowd, slowly letting themselves go and forget about the gala, being more confident around each other only to fall into an awkward silence as they swayed to the beat of  Avery's signature song, Lift Me Up

I tried to resist you I tried to keep my distance I tried to play it cool I'm no match for your persistence

I knew it, she beamed as a few songs later they moved to the bar arms in arms and spent the rest of the night chatting and laughing, Meredith gesticulating, too lost in some kind of deep conversation to be nervous, and Harper, listening carefully resting her chin in her hand.

They were still together when the gala came to an end, walking side by side into the parking lot among the multitude of doctors and guests exchanging parting greetings and a last round of chats.

"Who would have thought that a gala could be so much fun?" Harper commented, smiling to herself.

"Thanks for saving me from the deadly dull of patron conversation" she whispered conspiratorially, leaning closer to Meredith so that only she could hear.

"Anytime! But I should be the one thanking you: you saved me from the most disastrous and embarrassing Boston marathon ever" Meredith giggled.

"Yeah...I must say it would have been quite a sight. I can see the headlines-"

"No, it would have been awful, thank you!" Meredith interrupted her before laughing again. "You're an awful tease Dr. Emery, you know that right?"

Harper just shrugged and smiled.

"But I must admit I'm glad you decided not to run the marathon" she took a brief pause as if to ponder her words or to cherish the realization that just crossed her mind and made her smile to herself, almost shyly. "It's been ages since I had a night like this. Of course, it wasn't all fun, there were work duties too but...dancing, actually having a good carefree conversation with someone, that's rather unusual for me these days. Well, in a while, to be honest. I almost forgot how it was and I missed it. Thanks, Valentine"

The soft shift in her tone was so earnest that left Meredith a bit puzzled as a flashback of Mr. Linen Suit leaving Edenbrook with Harper. Maybe the date didn't work out?

"No need to thank me, it was my pleasure. I had a great time too, it was nice spending time with you outside work. Well, more or less as you said"

A light shade of pink colored her cheeks.

"You mean it?"

Meredith turned: seeing Harper surprised that someone might enjoy her company outside work, her personal self talking of ordinary stuff not the myth, the public persona was unexpected. And quite heartwarming as well. She barely refrained from the urge to reach out and squeeze her hand or pull her into a tight embrace.

"Of course I do" she said instead.

Harper smiled, a rather shy and grateful smile so different from her usual dignified ones at work, and nodded.

"I'm glad to hear. Maybe we should-" the neurosurgeon stopped mid-sentence, unsure whether to finish the sentence that slipped out of her mouth.

"Maybe we should...?"

Harper slowed down to a stop and after much internal debate, she shook her head and continued.

"Do you like Thai food?"

"Yes, sure but why?"

"I was thinking that maybe we should do it again, spending time together outside good old Edenbrook and I happen to know a lovely place downton. I'd love to take you out to dinner there"

"Yo-you would?" Meredith managed to stutter as she blushed furiously. "Like casually or-"

"Yes, I would" Harper laughed softly, amused of how flustered Valentine got in the turn of seconds. "And it's a date only if we both feel like that, no pressure. So what do you say?"

Dr. Valentine refrained herself from screaming the easiest yes she had ever formulated.

"Yes, yes I would love to".

Harper's face relaxed a bit.

"Excellent! So how's...let me think of my schedule...how's Friday? Does it work for you?"

"Friday's perfect" she confirmed, her smile barely containing the happiness that surged inside her.

She forgot about the rest of the world for a moment: Harper was smiling back at her, the most beautiful smile Meredith had ever seen when the charm was broken by a sudden realization that made the surgeon laugh.

"I'm just afraid...I don't have your number. I don't know how to text you the address" she smiled apologetically.

"Oh right!" Meredith chuckled too.

"It's usually the other way round, right? First number then asking out" Dr. Emery shook her head as she picked her phone out of her purse.

"I suppose, buy it doesn't matter, we can change that" Valentine commented outstretching her hand.

As Harper handed her her phone, she quickly typed down her number. After checking it twice, she gave it back, a huge smile on her face.

"There, fixed"

Over Harper's shoulder, in the distance, she spotted Kyra and the rest of the group walking in the opposite direction. Rafael saw her and mouthed something about a uber. Valentine nodded and sighed.

"I'm afraid that's my cue, sadly" she apologized. "I have an early shift tomorrow and..."

"It's okay, I would have offered to give you a ride home but I wasn't sure if it would put you in a bad place back at home" Harper smiled, a hint of tease in her hazel eyes. "And I know you're a professional, Valentine"

"Meredith" the fellow corrected her. "Just Meredith"

Dr. Emery's eyes gleamed again in the dark of the night.

"I'll text you very soon, Meredith"

"Please do, D-"

"Harper"

As her friend almost disappeared from view and the neurosurgeon was smiling down at her, Meredith bit her lip and allowed herself to be a little daring for once. Without thinking twice, she leaned closer and pressed a quick kiss on the doctor's cheek, leaving Harper to gape in surprise.

"Thanks for making my day. Goodnight, Harper" she whispered softly.

That said, she parted and walked towards her friends, head over heels and still not fully processing what happened, but feeling like the heroine of a romantic comedy, her own romantic movie as she heard Harper, the Harper Emery who just asked her out and now visibly flustered, whispering "Goodnight, Meredith".