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storyofmychoices · 8 months

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Our Little Pumpkin

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist]

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley (F!OC) Book: Open Heart Word Count: >700 Rating/Warnings: general, no warnings, all the fluff

Synopsis: Olivia and Bryce are on the quest for the perfect pumpkin.

This absolutely perfect and precious art is by the one and only, ArtbyAinna. She always captures my babies so beautifully!

Bryce and Olivia's footsteps crunched softly over the fallen leaves as they wandered through the enchanting pumpkin patch. The air was crisp and carried the scent of the autumn, a blend of earthy soil and the rich, warm aroma of ripening pumpkins.

At almost eight months pregnant, Olivia glowed, her hands lovingly caressing her round belly. The setting sun cast a warm, golden hue over the patch. Her fiery hair was set ablaze by the lighting.

"What about this one?" Bryce knelt beside a tall, reddish-orange pumpkin. Olivia's head tipped to the side, studying it. "Still not quite right."

"Are you sure?" He used his sleeve to wipe a patch of dirt off the top. "It would clean up nicely."

"Nope, it's not the one," she decided, continuing down the row of pumpkins.

Bryce followed his wife. He knew not to argue over a pumpkin, even if she had turned down twelve perfectly good ones already. Maybe the thirteenth would be the charm!

"That one!" Olivia pointed to a wide, robust orange pumpkin buried partially in the dirt.

"Are you sure?" He squatted beside it, pushing back the dark leaves that hid some of the beautiful pumpkin.

"That's the one!" She smiled, still cradling her stomach.

Bryce carefully clipped the pumpkin from the vine, lifting it by the base. "What do you think?"

"This is perfect," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with delight as she reached for the round pumpkin.

Bryce chuckled, his love for her radiating in his gaze. "What makes this one the right one?"

"Our little mermaid said so." She held her hand out to him.

His brow rose curiously. He shifted the pumpkin into his left arm, carefully holding it by its base. He let her guide his right hand over her stomach. He smiled as his daughter shifted beneath his fingertips. "You like this one?"

Their daughter kicked gently as if in response. Olivia's face lit up with joy. "Did you hear that? I think she likes the pumpkin and she likes your voice, Daddy."

"I guess that settles that then!" He smiled wide. "I can't argue with our little girl. She knows what she likes, just like her Mama!"

He leaned forward, attempting to brush a kiss on her forehead, but the pumpkin in his arms bumped against her belly, keeping them apart. The happy parents couldn't help but laugh, their daughter still kicking happily at the sound of their joy.

Bryce held the pumpkin against his stomach, mimicking Olivia's pose. "What do you think of this?"

Olivia giggled, her laughter a cheerful melody carried in the gentle breeze. She held her belly, leaning toward Bryce. "Will you be carrying that around for the next 6 weeks too?"

"If it would make you and our little girl smile, absolutely." He rubbed his fingers along the cool, smooth sides of the pumpkin.

"As adorable as you'd look with a pumpkin in your arms for the next month or so, I think I'd like you best without it. There's only room for one little pumpkin between us, and that's this one." She pointed to her stomach.

Bryce placed the pumpkin on the ground between them, his arms wrapping around Olivia as he drew her closer. Without the pumpkin between them, Bryce's lips found Olivia's forehead. His lips were warm against her cool skin as he brushed a tender kiss there. "I can't wait to meet our little mermaid... or pumpkin. Whatever she is, she'll be ours, and that's perfect."

"Soon." Olivia smiled as she shifted her head slightly from side to side, rubbing her nose against his. "Soon, we'll have a lifetime of adventures ahead of us with our little one."

Bryce smiled, tears of happiness glistening in his eyes. "I'm still amazed every day that we're going to be parents."

Olivia leaned in closer, her voice a gentle whisper filled with love. "And you'll be an amazing dad, Bryce, just like you are an amazing husband."

"I'll try to be the man you believe me to be."

"You already are," she smiled, kissing him softly. "I know it, and so does our little one. Now, let's get this little pumpkin home."

Bryce scooped up the pumpkin in his arms. "Can't forget our little pumpkin's first pumpkin."

"No, we can't!"

And in that moment, amid the autumn's embrace, they knew that every pumpkin they picked, every laugh they shared, and every kick from their unborn daughter was a promise of the beautiful journey awaiting them.

Thank you so so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this! Ainna did an absolutely gorgeous job capturing my vision. I'm absolutely obsessed with the art!!!!

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macapacaalpaca · 1 year

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I was scrolling through Pinterest and stumbled across this! I’d recognise that bedroom anywhere 😌

#pixelberry #open heart #choices open heart #ethan ramsey #ethan x mc #ethan freaking ramsey #open heart book 2 #playchoices

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jerzwriter · 6 months

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Just Passing By

From Here to There Series: Because you can't expect my neurodivergent brain to do anything in logical order... I still haven't explained how Tobias & Casey got together. It's time to rectify that. I'll be working on my masterlist to make this all a little less chaotic, I swear! :) I'll also be tidying up some former parts of my HC to tie things together. In the last segment, A New Chapter, we learn how they went from exes after a whirlwind romance to making peace after the chemical attack. It's roughly three weeks after the attack, and Casey is just back home from the hospital. She's struggling with the aftermath, and her friends can't seem to help. Tobias passes by on a whim, and the roommates are not happy to see him. But how will Casey feel?

Book: Open Heart (Book 2 - post Chemical Attack) Pairing: Tobias x Casey (F!MC) (Eventual) Featuring: Roomies - esp Jackie Varma Words: 2,100 Rating: Teen+ A/N: This is part of my HC for the couple.

Full Masterlsit | Tobias & Casey Masterlsit

This wasn't a planned visit. He was just driving home from work. There just so happened to be a parking spot on Casey's block... a parking spot on the streets of Boston? It had to be a sign. Right? It made sense that he'd stop in to see her. At least, that's what Tobias told himself as he made his way down the pavement toward Casey's front door. Her neighborhood didn't lie between Mass Kenmore and his townhome, but that, to him, was irrelevant.

Raised voices could be heard behind the door as he approached, but Casey wasn't among them. He may not talk to her much anymore, but he could still pick her voice out anywhere. He almost turned around; perhaps dropping by unannounced wasn't wise, but it would be foolish to turn back now. So, with a bit of trepidation he raised his hand and knocked.

"I'm coming," a woman shouted. Her voice was marked with annoyance, but when she opened the door, her expression went straight to disgust. "Oh. It's you."

Tobias looked over his shoulder, then turned around with a grin. "Sure is. Were you expecting someone better?"

"I wasn't expecting anyone," Jackie sneered. "But better isn’t really a high bar in your case."

"You’re doing wonders for my ego... Varma? Is it?"

Jackie crossed her arms and eyed him. "Trust. I wasn't put on this earth to coddle men's egos. Why are you here?"

He was about to respond when a more pleasant face appeared. "Jackie, who is it..." Sienna smiled politely when she caught sight of Tobias. "Dr. Carrick, good to see you!"

"Is it?" Jackie smirked as Sienna promptly shushed her.

"Why don't you come in? Is Casey expecting you?"

"No, uh...I was just in the neighborhood and..." he was quickly drowned out by bickering from an adjoining room.

"Just give her time," Bryce insisted.

"I know," Elijah acquiesced. "But she can’t stay locked in her room. How will that improve her mental health?”

"She does have to get past that," Aurora agreed, “but she needs to do it in her own time.”

“He’s right!” Sienna scolded upon entering the room. “The last two weeks have been hell on all of us, and she’s been home three days. Don't expect miracles.”

When they turned to Sienna, several eyes widened when they saw the handsome doctor standing behind her.

“Dr. Carrick,” Aurora acknowledged her boss.

“We’re not at work. It’s Tobias,” he insisted.

Jackie rolled her eyes. “He’s here to see Casey.”

Bryce raised a brow and mumbled to Jackie, but it came out far louder than he planned. “So she won’t talk to us, but she’ll see him?”

Tobias shifted uncomfortably, an unusual sight for the typically confident man. "For what it’s worth, she didn’t know I was coming.”

“Good!” Jackie enthused. “Then this is where I tell you it’s not a good time, and you should leave. If she’s not seeing friends, she’s definitely not seeing you.”

“Jackie!” Sienna reprimanded.

“What? Friends vs. dickhead exes that screwed her over... I think friends would have the edge, don’t you?”

“Jackie!” Sienna said again. “If not for Tobias, Casey and Raf probably wouldn't be here right now. Try to be a little nice."

“Yes. Casey and Raf... yet he’s only checking in on Casey,” Jackie stated. “Funny how that works.”

“Look, Casey’s my friend, too," Tobias defended.

“Since when?” Elijah asked.

“Since after the...” Tobias stopped himself and sighed in frustration. “Look, can you tell her I’m here? If she doesn’t want to see me, I’m out. No questions. But I think it’s her choice to make... not yours.”

Just then, Casey’s bedroom door burst open, and she spun into the hallway with all the grace of a tornado. Her matted hair was tied into a bun that had been slept on for days, and her ratty NYU sweatshirt and pajama bottoms hadn't been changed for just as long. The dark circles under her eyes marked her exhaustion, but she found a burst of energy and was using it to set a few things straight.

“For the record!” She blurted to no one in particular. “I never said I wasn’t going to therapy! I said I’m not going to the therapist’s office! There’s a difference! And I didn’t say I wouldn’t shower... stop acting like I am suddenly allergic to shampoo and body wash! But I’m not showering today! I know you want to help, but you guys need to let me breathe!”

“Let you breathe?” Elijah corrected softly. “Casey, you’ve been alone in your room for three days.”

“And as far as breathing, we’re the ones who won’t be able to if you don’t shower soon,” Jackie countered.

Aurora shot Jackie a look and attempted to be the voice of reason. “Casey. We’re just worried about you. You’re not talking to anyone.”

“Who said I’m not talking to anyone? I just don't want to be smothered. If I wanted that, I would have asked my parents to stay. I just...” her voice trailed when she saw Tobias. “What... what are you doing here?”

“He's leaving,” Jackie jumped in, but Tobias paid her no mind.

“I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop in to see you, but I can see it’s not a good time. I’ll text you in a few days, and...”

“No, it’s fine,” Casey interrupted, taking a bit of pleasure from the shocked faces of her friends. “You can stay. Why don’t you... why don’t you come to my room.”

“Are you sure?” He asked nervously.

“Yeah... follow me,” she replied with an unceremonious turn on her heel.

“I can't believe she'll see that jackass and not,” Jackie protested, but her voice was stifled when Sienna’s tiny hand covered her mouth. “Jackie, hush!”

~~~~~

If Casey was happy to see Tobias, you wouldn't have known it by her slouched shoulders and down expression when entered her room. Company of any sort wasn't on her agenda today, particularly not from a guy she once dated when she looked like... this. But feeling it would be rude to backtrack, she gestured toward a chair next to the window as she sat on her bed and pulled a blanket around her. Tobias took a seat in the chair.

“I’m sorry for not calling first...” he apologized.

“It’s OK,” she waved. “I’m sorry for using you.”

“Using me?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “I think I just used you to get back at my friends. I know they’ve been through a lot these past two weeks, too, and they just want to help, but since I got out of the hospital, they aren’t giving me air.”

“... so you agreed to see me just to piss them off.”

Her cheeks flushed, and a chunk of hair fell out of her discombobulated bun when she lowered her head in embarrassment. “When you say it like that, I sound like a complete bitch. I didn’t do it on purpose... Honestly, I was shocked to see you.”

“You’re not a bitch,” Tobias started. “I don’t think you are, and I don’t think any of your friends do, either. You’re coping with the aftermath of a very traumatic event. No one is going to be upset with you.”

“Still, it wasn’t nice of me to use you.”

“Hey,” he snickered, seeming to come to life. “I’ve been used for worse things and haven't complained. In fact, sometimes I even enjoyed it.”

His heart warmed when he saw a trace of a smile on her face. “Yeah, well... I don’t think you’ll enjoy my company right now... and that's all I'm using you for."

“That’s for me to decide. Besides, I didn’t come to be entertained. I came to see how my friend is doing.”

Casey laughed bitterly as she gestured at her disheveled appearance. “As you can see, I’m living my best life. These clothes may walk off my body if I don’t change them soon. I speak to...no... I bark at my friends in five-minute intervals. I won’t leave my room, much less the apartment. I’m fucking awesome. The spitting image of the woman you met at that diner last year.”

Tobias allowed the silence to hang, and both found themselves surprised by how comfortable it was. Then he sat up, leaning forward on his knees with an earnest expression.

“You’re not the woman I met at the diner last year... no more than I’m the man you met. Things happen... life happens, and people... change. You have to be gentler with yourself. When I lost my father... it was a hellish time for me. There was so much going on, and... well, I was in a bad place. When my Ma came to check on me a week after the funeral, I was wearing the same pajamas I had slipped into that night. Probably hadn’t brushed my teeth more than twice during that time. I’m confident she smelled me from outside in the hall.”

“Perhaps that’s TMI,” Casey half-smiled.

“It’s definitely TMI,” he chuckled. “I’m telling you this because you need to know it’s OK. We all go through hard times when we can’t be expected to be ourselves. We’re entitled to that. You just don’t stay there too long.”

“How long did you stay in it?”

“Me. Oh, it ended the day my Mom showed up. You don’t know her, but she’s a force to be reckoned with. She took one look at me, grabbed me by the ear, and tossed me in the shower with a bar of soap. By the time I got out, the apartment was tidied up, and lunch was being served with a side of one of her best lectures to date.”

“Can you spare me that treatment? I'm really not up for it yet.”

“Nah,” he grinned. “It’s not my place. I’m not your Mom, after all.”

“Yeah, well, my Mom only returned to Philly because I swore I’d be all right, and... I’m not all right, Tobias. I’m not all right at all."

"All right will come... then even better will follow. I promise you, one day, you’ll feel like yourself again.”

Casey turned her head toward the window, her skin appearing ashen in the late afternoon light.

“Forgive me if I don’t believe you,” she whispered so softly it almost went unheard.

“You don’t have to believe me. Not yet. But you will one day, I promise. Now, what were you saying about therapy? You’re seeing Dr. Stevens, right?”

“I am. Well, I mean... I was... I haven’t since I left the hospital and I’m supposed to see her on Friday, but...”

“It’s important to go, Case.”

“I know,” she snapped but softened quickly. “I just... I can’t go see her.”

Tobias nodded in acknowledgment. “Because her office is right next to Edenbrook.”

Casey turned to him, surprised to see he understood. “I am not ready to go back there. I can’t go back there yet.”

“Understood. Dr. Stevens does have privileges at Mass Kenmore.”

“Privileges? Yes," Casey confirmed. But an office? No.”

“Understood. But if she’s willing to, I can arrange for space to meet you there. It’s not a big deal.”

“We could do that?” Casey asked.

“Why don’t you call her in the morning? If she’s willing to see you there, I’ll make it happen.”

Casey nodded her head with a yawn. “I’ll call her. I promise, after I get some sleep.”

“That’s my queue to leave,” Tobias smiled. “You need your rest. But look, if you want the pleasure of my company again, promise me you’ll try to shower when you get up.”

Casey rolled her eyes dramatically as her head hit the pillow. “Fine! But if you think I’m sending you pictures of me in there to prove it or something...”

“Stop,” Tobias chuckled. “I’d never ask a friend to do that... and... we’re friends. Right, Case?”

“Yeah, we’re friends,” she said, her eyes already shutting. “Can you tell my friends I’m going to sleep?”

“Sure,” he smiled, thinking about how delighted they'd be getting that information from him. “Sleep tight, Princess,” he whispered, closing the door behind him.

He could hear a pin drop as he walked down the hallway. He knew his past was working against him, and he had his work cut out for him to prove himself to those who loved Casey most. But he didn't mind. The biggest challenge would be proving it to himself. But he knew his intentions were good, and for once, that was all that mattered.

“She’s taking a rest,” Tobias announced as he passed the living room. “And I’m going to leave.”

He turned around briefly when Sienna called out his name. “Thanks for stopping by.”

“Yes, thanks,” Aurora concurred. "I'll see you at work."

The sun was beginning to set when he stepped out the front door. See, that spot had been there for a reason... because, against all odds, he was able to help, and for Tobias Carrick on this day, that was more than he could have asked for.

~~~~~

Next, we'll see how Tobias & Casey begin spending time together... and how each one of her friends and loved ones issues their own unique warnings. :)

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

@choicesnovchallenge / National Princess Day - because that's the first time she was called that, and she's on her way. lol

Tagging others separately.

#choices fanfic #open heart #tobias carrick #tobias carrick x f!mc #open heart book 2 #open heart choices #choices open heart #open heart fanfic #from here to there #playchoices fanfic

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randombook4idk · 4 months

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MC to Rafael in B1 diamond scene: What about my family? Well, I have a brother

MC's brother's existance when in B2 his sibling got poisoned with a toxin that had no cure and could've died:

#open heart #choices open heart #choices oh #oh mc #open heart mc #open heart book 2 #open heart 2 #open heart critical #open heart criticism #playchoices #choices stories you play #choices stories we play

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alwaysmychoices · 10 months

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Vending Machine Confession

Synopsis: Having decided to also leave Edenbrook, Ethan is now racing against Charlie to see who can leave the hospital first. But as they're barreling towards self destruction, they have a chance meeting by the vending machine...

Chapter 40 of the “with and without” series

Previous Series: “a weekend with dr. ramsey”

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

Words: 3.0k

Rating: Teen (language)

Also available on AO3 & Wattpad (link in Masterlist)

Ethan hated goodbyes.

He hated drawn out farewells and lingering endings. He’d never been one to hesitate when it was time to go. Ethan hadn’t noticed the change until now – the hesitance in his limbs and the dread in his chest. He wasn’t comfortable on the precipice because he had too much to lose now.

Or maybe he had too much to lose.

Perhaps for the first time since he’d met Charlie, Ethan was free from the shackles of indecision. He knew exactly what he had to do, and as he barreled towards self-destruction, it felt like the only right thing he’d done in a long time.

Naveen told Ethan to give it a few days before acting on his decision to leave Edenbrook. You might regret it, Naveen politely cautioned. Until now, Ethan’s devotion to Edenbrook had been unrelenting, unforgiving, and undying. He sacrificed everything to the altar of his career.

He'd sacrificed Charlie in the name of saving her.

It was a cautionary tale as old as man’s arrogance.

But now it had an ending.

The final chapter had been written, and there was ease in certainty. Even if the conclusion was devasting, at least he knew when it would happen. His ego destroyed him, and now it was a quiet, sneering companion in his grief – reminding him of all he could have achieved if he’d been brave.

Faced with mutual destruction, Ethan had the pleasure of pulling the trigger first. As long as Charlie maintained her corresponding threat to destroy her career, Ethan would gladly do the same. It was a small consolation, but it was his to seize. A final sacrifice – his magnum opus of self-sabotage and poor conflict resolution. Ethan ruined Edenbrook for Charlie, and if he could do nothing else, he owed it to Charlie to give her the dream back.

Stubbornness was their chosen vice. Together, they’d buried themselves in the name of burying the other. Now, there was no escape.

The worst part was that, despite the fights that preceded these lonely nights, they’d never stopped loving each other. Neither saw the other as irredeemable – foolish, inconsiderate, and frustrating, maybe, but not irredeemable. Circumstances ruined them, but the relationship itself was still painted in streaks of gold.

Gold that seeped into the red rage and gray despair.

Gold that kept Ethan up late into the night – pacing a lonely apartment until he could no longer look at the space he once shared with Charlie. Ethan was a man on the run, but he didn’t know where he was going. So, he worked until he didn’t have enough energy to think.

Ethan gazed at the Boston skyline and wondered if any other skyline would feel so lonely. New York? Chicago? San Diego? Dallas?

He had offers from every city. All it would take was a mild display of interest, and he would be whisked away to a new life. His Rhode Island roots recoiled at the possibility of life in the blazing heat, but the broken pieces of his soul longed for anything unfamiliar and untainted. Change could be good, he thought, if for no other reason than it would let him sleep at night.

Idly, his eyes drifted to his laptop screen – waiting for the email he knew was coming. He’d sent out his interest. Now, he just had to wait for an eager recruiter to claim the fist interview. Wherever it was, he’d go – sunny, dark, rainy, hot, whatever. Selectivity required too much from his frayed mind.

For a moment, he imagined a world where the email never came. What would feel worse – the blow to his ego or his failure to make the grand sacrifice?

But of course, the email arrived. To those followers lucky enough to admire him from afar, Ethan was still a god. By the luck of the draw, a hospital in San Diego was the first to claim him. Only a few minutes later, it would have been a medical school in Chicago.

Hot and sunny, Ethan frowned. Not his comfort zone. But who was he to challenge fate?

When Ethan finished reading the email, he didn’t feel relieved. It just felt … final. Sad, even. Like the final chapter of a book he never wanted to finish.

For a moment, he allowed himself to picture a new life in sunny San Diego, but the vision was just as cold as a bitter Boston winter – colder, even. Because she was here. And nothing could ever come close to the warmth he felt when she stood by his side.

Ethan pressed “reply” but typed nothing. Again and again, he started to draft a polite yet brief acceptance, but no words came.

Ethan frowned, wiping his face with exhaustion. It was too late to write, he thought. It was too late to do anything. Realistically, he should have been home hours ago. A wise man would have tried to get what little sleep remained before he commuted back to this dark office, but Ethan recoiled at the thought of going home alone. So, he decided to stay. Hopefully, he’d work himself into exhaustion and be too tired to think.

Encouraged by the promise of something sugary to get him through the slump, Ethan gave himself a well-earned break to visit the vending machine. He traced the familiar path quietly, appreciating the gentle hum of the night shift. He liked how the hospital ignored him at night. It was a welcome reminder that Edenbrook would outlive his legacy.

Even on an empty night like this, Charlie was a specter lurking in every corner, but he never expected to actually see her there – tiredly straightening a crumpled dollar bill so she could trade it for a box of Sour Patch Kids. The same candy he’d intended to buy, a bad habit inherited from many a long night by her side.

Ethan froze, watching with wide eyes as she just … existed. How long had he been standing there? A second? A lifetime? Danger prickled at his skin, reminding him of the sins they’d shared in these hallowed halls.

“For fuck’s sake,” Charlie groaned, ignorant to her observer. Giving up on her unsalvageable dollar bill, Charlie pounded her fist on the glass, hoping for a miracle. Of course, the machine stared back at her, unmoved. Her candy was still out of reach.

Without thinking, Ethan stepped toward.

“Let me.”

It wasn’t until Charlie turned around that Ethan realized he’d been the one to speak.

Charlie stood, mouth agape as Ethan placed a crisp collar bill in the machine and punched in the code for her favorite candy. When he turned to hand her the box of sugary gummies, Charlie still hadn’t moved. Equally shocked at the sudden proximity, neither stepped back. She was so close he could smell the coconut on her hair…

They were silent – consumed by the closeness. Charlie breathed him in, cataloguing every new line on his face. It didn’t occur to her that he was doing the same. What would it feel like years from now, when the contours of their faces had changed without the presence of the other?

Finally, Charlie spoke, “I can’t.”

Ethan chuckled quietly, “Yes, you can.”

Charlie’s lips parted, prepared to put up a fight, but then she decided she wanted the candy more than she wanted to yell at Ethan – though, admittedly, it was a close call.

“Thanks,” Charlie mumbled as she clumsily accepted the cardboard box. Once it was in her hands, she knew it was her turn to leave, yet she lingered. The longer she stayed, the harder it was to pull away.

Ethan felt her growing absence like a bleeding wound. Just before she was out of earshot, he blurted out, “I’m sorry.”

Charlie froze.

Accept it, a voice demanded, let this be the end.

But she didn’t. Instead, she bitterly coughed out, “You should be.”

“I know.”

Charlie whipped her head around, unsure if she was shocked or angry. Could it be both?

“You know?” she repeated quietly.

Clearing his throat, Ethan awkwardly explained, “I’ve always respected you and your career, Charlie. I just… I just wish my actions showed that.”

Charlie’s jaw tightened – of course he was fucking self-righteous enough to give a speech like that. Ever respectful Ethan who couldn’t fathom her making her own decisions about her career. A thousand angry retorts populated her mind, each fighting for the honor of being the biting remark to remind him of his sins. Yet, she delivered none of them. They were each too vulnerable, touching a part of her too raw to unleash without opening a door to her soul. She’d found safety in distance, and she didn’t trust herself to test the depths.

“You’ve been an asshole,” Charlie crossed her arms.

Despite himself, Ethan chuckled.

“I know,” he smiled bitterly, “I’ve always been an asshole, but I never meant to be one to you.”

A sharp, sudden intake of breath. And an unmistakable smile creeping across her lips. She stared at himself for a long time, so long that Ethan almost forgot they’d been engaged in a conversation moments earlier. How could she respond to that? She didn’t want to punish his apology with cruelty, nor did she want to reward it at the risk of undoing all her hard work to distance herself. And could that even be described as a real apology?

“I know,” she whispered to both of their surprise.

She didn’t absolve him, just acknowledged him as something other than a mythical enemy – rather a misguided and damaged man bumbling through unfamiliar love. And fuck that might have been worse.

He is close enough to touch, she thought. She indulged in the fantasy where she ran into his arms. It doesn’t have to mean anything, a tempting voice whispered, You can still hate him in the morning.

But she wouldn’t. It was a dangerous game – one she would always lose.

One she was probably already losing.

Charlie was caught between a desperate desire to forgive him and an insistent shame that she was so easily drawn back to him. With equal measure, she wanted to curse his name and drag him back to her bed. Before she could do either, she turned on her heels and raced through the halls – retreating to her hidden corner where she’d been working late into the night to avoid the memories haunting her empty bed.

Ethan watched her go. It wasn’t a surprise, yet some part of him expected her to turn around. When he realized she wasn’t coming back, he gazed at his reflection in the vending machine light. It was the same empty expression that followed him back to his office, where he spent an ungodly amount of time trying to will himself into productivity. Any attempt to work himself into a stupor was ruined when she broke through his haze.

He left the hospital in defeat, entering his apartment like a fallen fighter. A drink in hand, Ethan milled about his home, touring a thousand possibilities of what could have been.

This is the end. So why doesn’t it feel like it?

He heard the clock tick, but only now did he realize that it had always been lurking in the wings. Ethan was always going to fuck this up, if just because he didn’t trust himself to do anything else.

A lifetime of “what if”s flashed before his eyes – what if he hadn’t pulled away in Miami? What if he’d picked her over Edenbrook the first time? Or the second time? Or any of the days that followed? His many regrets flashed before his eyes in a torturous but fleeting succession. But one remained, whispering his deep-held shame until his ears rang.

When he couldn’t handle it any longer, Ethan downed the rest of his glass and dialed a familiar number.

“Ethan?” Naveen’s voice was tired on the other line. For a brief moment, Ethan was embarrassed he’d woken his friend at such a late hour, but curiosity killed any courtesy he may have bestowed by letting Naveen go back to sleep.

“Hey, sorry to wake you,” Ethan grimaced.

“No worries… is everything okay?”

“Yes,” Ethan swallowed.

Just ask, he hissed at himself.

“I wanted to warn you,” Ethan began, ignoring the angry roar when he evaded the real reason he’d called. “I’ve been offered interviews. I’m going to accept them.”

“Oh…” Naveen’s voice fell.

“I wanted to tell you first. I know how gossip spreads.”

“Right, of course,” Naveen murmured.

“Well… I should let you sleep then,” Ethan cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“Oh, I suppose,” Naveen’s voice was detached. He didn’t know how to be present in such an unexpected conversation. It was one thing to lose his friend of ten years. It was quite another to watch Ethan march himself to exile and ruin the best relationship he’d ever had. Despite all the theatrics, Naveen never thought it would come to this.

Ethan didn’t hang up.

His heart pounded.

His chest ached.

His throat tightened.

If I don’t ask, I’ll never know, he thought.

But maybe it was best that way.

“Actually, that wasn’t why I called,” Ethan blurted out.

Naveen’s eyebrows raised, too shocked to mutter out a polite response.

“A year ago, if I’d come to you and said that I was in love with Charlie and wanted to be with her, what would have happened?”

“A year ago?” Naveen thought carefully. His friend deserved honesty. Brutal honesty. “I would have asked if you were sure. Told you to think about it for a few days. The board would have hated it. The legal liability, not to mention the public scandal, would be debated for weeks. But I would have been at every meeting, fighting for you both. In the end, I think I could have talked them into a compromise – Charlie reassigned to different supervisors. On a good day, I could have kept you both on the diagnostics team. On a bad day, one of you would have had to step down.”

“But we would have been together?”

Naveen knew he should have hesitated. Softened the blow. But Ethan needed full impact.

“Yes.”

Deep down, Ethan already knew. That’s why he never asked.

“Even with Bloom?”

“You can never plan for Bloom, but with the right HR paperwork, I don’t see what he could have done.”

Ethan winced.

“Do you think… Would it have ruined her career? To be marred by my scandal?”

“Maybe,” Naveen confessed, “But it’s a long career, Ethan, and people have survived worse.”

“Ten years ago, would you have let me do it?” Ethan clenched his glass, “If I’d been Charlie, would you have let me risk it?”

“Ten years ago, no.”

A bit of redemption, but it felt hollow.

“But ten years ago, I made a lot of mistakes. I built a champion, but if I had to do it over again…” Naveen sighed, suddenly weighed down by decades of mistakes, “I wouldn’t have made you in my image, Ethan. And if I have any parting wisdom, I beg you not to make Charlie in yours.”

Ethan flinched.

It was one thing to know that he was a monster made by his own hand. It was another to hear another acknowledge it.

A lineage of damaged mortals begging to be gods. It was fitting that they rose so high only to fall from the stars.

Then there was Charlie – the last of their line. Still growing. Still forming. Still making the mistakes that would fracture her. Perhaps Ethan would be one of them.

“You always said we’re insatiable,” Ethan shook his head, “You. Me. Charlie, too. We always need more. Do you think we could be satisfied with anything less?”

“Maybe not,” Naveen frowned, “But I like to think so.”

A long, clouded silence enveloped the duo.

“You still have time, Ethan,” Naveen’s sentence was more of a plea than a reminder.

Stay, he urged, Stay for her.

Ethan shook his head, “I’ll assign Tobias to my cases in the morning. I’ll stay for the transition, but…” I have to go, he thought.

Naveen didn’t try to hide his sigh, “Alright. Good night, Ethan.”

A few moments later, when Ethan contributed nothing else to the conversation, Naveen ended the call, but Ethan remained still. Seconds dragged to minutes. Hell, they probably dragged to hours.

A lifetime in each passing moment.

A better ending to the story.

Devastated but finally convinced of his role as the villain in Charlie’s epic, Ethan sent an email accepting and scheduling an interview in San Diego at the end of the week. He spent the rest of the night shoving his current life into a suitcase, praying that there was some semblance of a new life on the other side.

Separated by more than distance, Ethan and Charlie wandered through the dark night, evading their grief and wishing they could have one more night together. One more call. One more smile. Longing and grief went hand in hand – lovers in a past life.

If Ethan had gone quietly into the night, Charlie still violently stumbled through it. All she could think about was Ethan. Seeing him awakened something she’d purposefully tried to bury. She didn’t trust herself to be close to him, and she certainly didn’t trust herself to spend one last night in his embrace. But the idea consumed her. She needed him like she needed air. It was a punishment and a pleasure. She had to have him close to her, if just to scream in his face.

Losing but the battle but perhaps winning the war, she abandoned the safety of her secluded nook and marched straight to his office. With only a moment’s hesitation, she knocked twice – once insistently, once timidly. No answer.

Twice more – both insistent.

No answer.

Frustrated by his apparent silence and their continued separation, she barged into his office and found the space empty. He had already left…

Embarrassment and rejection stung Charlie’s eyes, blurring her view as she hurriedly closed the door behind him and retreated to the safety of her quiet, empty bedroom miles away.

As she showered off the feeling of his presence, she told herself this was a single moment of weakness. She’d be gone before she had her next relapse. Yet, even as she climbed into bed, she knew that wasn’t true.

They were inevitable, for better or worse.

Unless one of them ran away first.

#choices #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #ethan ramsey x charlie greene #with and without #open heart #open heart 2 #open heart fanfic #fanfic #writing

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lover-also-fighter-also · 2 months

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P.S the poll is limited to only 12 options, so feel free to comment/reblog with your favourites ❤️❤️

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choicesficwriterscreations · 11 months

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CFWC FotW - June 25 - July 3, 2023

Ⓜ️ = Adult/Mature Content 18+ 🔥 = Explicit Material/NSFW 18+ 🏳️‍🌈 = Pride

CRIMES OF PASSION

A Celebration | Trystan Thorne x F!MC - @jerzwriter

More Blood on Your Pizza? | Trystan Thorne x F!MC - @inlocusmads

A New Neighbor | Trystan Thorne x F!MC - @trappedinfanfiction

IMMORTAL DESIRES

Whatever You Say, President Adalhard (Pt. 1) | F!Cas Harlow x F!Gabe - @aria-ashryver Ⓜ️🏳️‍🌈

OPEN HEART

THE ROYAL ROMANCE

Destiny (Series) | Liam Rys x MC - @mysticalfangirl Part 2

The King's Queen | Liam Rys x MC - @eadanga

Law's End (Series) | @angelasscribbles Murder at Vista Heights Chapter 2 Ⓜ️

Midnights Like This (Series) | Leo Rys x F!OC, Liam Rys x F!MC - @queenrileyrose Part 9: Can This Be the Real Thing?

One Night In Cordonia (Round Robin) | Various Pairings - @angelasscribbles Chapter 9: Aftermath

...Sometimes Not (Series) | Liam Rys x MC - @ao719 Part 5: Back to How It Used to Be

Turning the Page (Series) | Liam Rys x MC - @tessa-liam Prologue

Unchartered: Tales from the Gypsea (Series) Drake Walker x F!OC - @karahalloway Surfs Up! Ⓜ️🔥

Worthy | Hana Lee x MC - @noesapphic

#choices fanfic #playchoices #playchoices fanfic #choices the stories you play #crimes of passion #crimes of passion 2 #immortal desires #open heart #the royal romance #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week

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choices-ceri · 2 months

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Fvck Winston in particular

Ricocheeeeettttt.... You take your aiiiimmm.... Fire away, fire awayyyy

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mydemonsdrivealimo · 1 year

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yeah im a little obsessed w him what about it

#okay i got things to say #1 makeup version is killing me jfc #2 i did put a little thing in there for yall to find #its not difficult but still #3 omfg i was playing with the cloud brushes and i found a lot more and now i lowkey really wanna do an elementalists piece #love my TE mc too just dont talk about him #anyway thats all i got #bryce lahela #bryce lahela fanart #bryce lahela art #my art #open heart #open heart art #playchoices art #playchoices #open heart choices

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headoverheelsforramsey · 1 year

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Love Again

Book : Open Heart (Book 2)

Pairing : Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Meera Bose) || Feat. Tobias Carrick

Category : Angsty Fluff

Summary : He is watching his best friend fall in love for the second time and desperately praying that it doesn't lead to disastrous consequences like the first time. (Aka Open Heart Book 2 told from Tobias Carrick's point of view)

Warnings : Mentions of the maitotoxin attack

Rating : General

Word Count : 1569

Trope : Third person POV, People find out about them, Traumatic Event

A/N : This is my submission for @tobias-carrick-appreciation-week Day 3 : OH 2 and @aprilchallenge : Love is in the air. Some of the quotes have been taken directly from Pixelberry's Open Heart Book 2. Hope you guys enjoy it, happy reading! ❤️

Chapter 6

Tobias Carrick didn’t expect to meet his long lost friend turned foe today, certainly not under the humongous roof of the third richest man in America, competing against him for the sake of saving his hospital. Yet, here he was, staring at Ethan Ramsey in flesh and blood. He looks like he hasn’t aged a day, though the beard and glasses make him look more matured than he acts to be.

Hirata and Mirani following Ramsey like puppies as usual. He recognises the other doctor, from their encounter at the deli a few days back. He did not learn her name, but was shocked to see her as a part of one of the most prestigious diagnostic team in the country. A resident in her second year missing out trivial diagnosis like cyanosis, did Edenbrook and Ethan Ramsey forget how to teach?

He was enjoying this little arrangement that Bloom came up with, never missing out on a chance to one-up Ethan Ramsey. But when his “friend” stormed out the heavy wooden doors he was not surprised but disappointed. He was rather shocked when his protege followed him without thinking twice.

Before following Mr. Bloom inside he could see Ramsey and Bose in a heated argument through the glass panels. He was surprised further because in all the years he had known Ethan Ramsey he had never seen an attending talk to him that way, much less a resident, had his “friend” changed that much? His surprise continued when Ramsey came back for a chance to crack this case, but he didn’t let his face show. Does this mere resident have special persuasion powers? He decided to put his head in the game instead, because he was playing to see his “friend” lose.

Chapter 8

The sun shone brightly, the smell of hot dogs and beers engulfing the atmosphere this was one day in a year, Tobias pretends he followed his childhood dream of playing softball professionally. The doctors from both the hospitals mingled about, he had so many people to greet but in the sea of known and unknown people he certainly didn’t expect Ethan Ramsey to be there.

He has been going against Edenbrook for almost half a decade and never in all those years had he ever seen or ever expected the infamous Dr. Ramsey to grace them with his presence. What changed? He thought and almost immediately saw Meera Bose beside Ethan.

She was a decent player he thought, throwing the first pitch and being responsible for Tobias Carrick’s out was enough proof of that. But he couldn’t ignore the small smile at the corner of his “friend’s” lips whenever Bose threw a perfect pitch.

Old habit’s die hard and Tobias thought rubbing the case of Stephanie Hill while grabbing a water was the perfect plan. He raised an eyebrow when the young resident said “paitent care isn’t a game.” Good to know Ramsey passed down his virtues to his residents. But the fire he saw in Bose’s eyes on mentioning her friend’s betrayal mirrored the fire he had witnessed in his own “friend’s” eyes more than ten years ago due to a different betrayal.

The fight had grown heated but when Ethan took a protective stance in front of Meera giving Terrance a death threat Tobias was astounded. He had known this man for a very long time, was Ramsey falling for her? Because he hadn’t seen him this defensive since… before he could finish that thought, chaos broke free.

The final innings could have gone better, but one thing that always set Carrick apart from Ramsey was the ability to accept defeat. He watched as Bose ran towards the Edenbrook clan, her friends and colleague wrapping her up. As he turned to leave he watched Ethan join the crowd his eyes soft on Meera’s browns a playful smile on his lips, hands brushing lightly. Tobias’s earlier suspicion returned and as a diagnostician he thought he had an answer, but as one of Ethan Ramsey’s oldest “friend” he could do with some more evidence.

Chapter 9

Logging into his tablet, Tobias looked suspiciously at the recent activity. Ethan Ramsey, at Kenmore? He didn’t have any ongoing research projects and Ethan is not the type of man who likes to take an afternoon walk around the neighborhood.

“Doctor, the patient is ready for you,” the nurse called. Tobias nodded, opening his new patient chart and getting to work, making a mental note of catching up with Ramsey before he leaves the premises.

Tobias stopped Dr. Simpson in the middle of his presentation, was that Meera Bose? He rushed out of the patient room following her still not believing his eyes. But when he saw Mirani with her he knew something was up. Three members of the Edenbrook diagnostic team cannot be behind enemy lines at the same time co-inccidently. Calling security Tobias makes a run for it.

The two doctors make a narrow escape and he comes out just in time to see his “friend” zoom away from under his nose.

“Well played Ramsey, we’ll get you next time.”

Chapter 11

The news of Senator Ed and and his aide had spread like wildfire. Transfer patients from Edenbrook kept Tobias fairly busy, but he didn’t know why his thoughts drifted back to Meera.

“How was she doing?”

“Did they have any answers at all?”

“Is she not going to make it?”

“How was… how was Ethan doing?”

Tobias found himself choking on his own breath. In need of fresh air, he put down his tablet and took shelter in a supply closet. He doesn’t remember when was the last time he was here. More unpleasant thoughts circled his brain, Tobias punched the door out of frustration and helplessness. The door opened, and Aurora came in, the frustration and helplessness reflected on her face made Tobias decide that it was time to set aside all the age-old differences between him and Ethan and their respective hospitals.

Nothing less than a crowd was formed in front of the patient room. All of Meera’s friends, family and well-wishers stood by her side. All of them dejected and crestfallen. Ethan Ramsey stood at the forefront his heart burdened with melancholy, but too stubborn to show it in his face. Tobias had known his “friend” long enough to see right through the facade.

Tobias straightened his face, “and you won’t be alone.”

Ramsey’s face shifts from shock to thankful in a mili second and Tobias stops him right there. Everyone says their goodbye one by one and follows Baz and June into the lab. Tobias notices his “friend” not making a move.

“Shouldn’t we call Dr. Ramsey?” one of the doctors suggest.

“No. He should be there with her,” Tobias smiled. “This is where he will do the most good. Besides, I know what I am doing.” He flashes his signature smile only to receive an eye roll from Hirata.

Tobias monitored the sodium-potassium level, no this won’t work, he shaked his head. Facing another dead end, he decided its better to take a small break before getting back to work. He exited the lab and walked towards Meera’s room. The corridor lights had been dimmed, he felt like a ghost wandering the halls. He stopped in front of the window, only to see Ethan all suited up, holding Meera as close as he humanly could with the plastic barrier in between them.

He needed no more confirmations. He was sure his “friend” had fallen head over heels for Meera. It had been a long time since he had been this candid with someone, it had been so long since someone had broken all of his walls and reached for his heart and it had been so long since Ethan’s heart had shattered. Tobias was immature back then and partly responsible for what had happened but today he was not going to let that happen a second time. With renewed determination Tobias walked back towards the lab.

Just like Tobias had guessed, Ethan was still there in his hazmat suit helping Meera vomit into a basin when they returned the next morning. The child-like grin on his face on hearing about the antidote was unlike him. Tobias explained the chemistry behind their discovery, expecting atleast a couple questions from Ethan but the absence of that made him realize that he was a changed man. The sheer delight on Ethan Ramsey’s face as he administered the serum was one of a kind. He and Meera locked eyes, a silent understanding between them.

The waiting part was the worst, but once the latest lab results showed no trace of toxin in Bose’s bloodstream the entire team gathered around the patient room. Ethan sprinted through the doors, and Meera flew into his arms, tears breaking free. Ethan looked outside holding Tobias’ gaze for a little longer than necessary, while Tobias returned his signature smirk.

Chapter 17

The rumor mill had a field day with the news that the great Ethan Ramsey had kissed a resident, Meera Bose in an atrium full of people. While the betting pool regarding how long they were dating and whether Meera slept her way to the top were the hottest topic in and around the hospital, Tobias Carrick was just content that his diagnostic skills remained undefeated and he still knew his "friend" through and through.

Thank you so much if you have read till here, it means the world to me. Hope to see you go on other different adventures with me, Ethan and Meera, till then sending love and hugs your way! ❤️

Perma : @starrystarrytrouble @quixoticdreamer16 @coffeeheartaddict2 @liaromancewriter @tessa-liam @gryffindordaughterofathena @crazy-loca-blog @zahrachoices @bex-la-get @potionsprefect @schnitzelbutterfingers @a-crepusculo @custaroonie @aishwarya26 @jamespotterthefirst

Ethan x Meera : @jerzwriter @wanderingamongthewildflowers @takemyopenheart @mvalentine

+ @choicesficwriterscreations , @openheartfanfics , @tobias-carrick-appreciation-week & @aprilchallenge

Please let me know if you want to be added or removed. 💜

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cutemeat · 2 years

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never wont lose my mind over Glenn’s choice to frame the scene like this and have Mac pointing towards Dennis before delivering the line “yeah.. that’s the one.” like OK!!! OK!

#macden #macdennis #the beginning of my insane amount of re-watching this show over n over again all began with the 2 week period wehere i did nothing but #rewatch this ep n take notes. it did things to my brain #like glenn rewatching the show pre-s14 rlly shows cuz all the directing choices made in Macden Break Up came very much back into play here #with the Walls... ugh. sunny motifs u kno #ITS SHOWIN THAT DEN IS STILL THE CAT KEEPIN HIMSELF IN THE WALL!!! IT BRINGS BACK A SIMILAR SHOT FROM MACDEN BREAK UP!!#like... dennis FEELS like theres a wall between him n mac. but its invisible. n mac wont just TURN AROUND even tho he knows yeah Dennis..#hes the one! his guy... his LEADING MAN #JUST TURN AROUNDDD #but the thing is there IS a wall n its invisibile so DENNIS cant see how his own insecurity n fear of taking a risk is holding himself back #from what his hearts always wanted.. which is just the same exact core conflict of Macden Break Up... in reality they never addressed that #problen so this ewas a smart way to bring it back around before we open up our Real macden storyline in s14/s15...the Set Up.. the Act i...#parker posts

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storyofmychoices · 8 months

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Obvious Secrets

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist]

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley (F!OC)

Book: Open Heart

Word Count: ~300

Rating/Warnings: general (tipsy Olivia)

Prompts: "I love you. But that's a secret. So I won't tell you about it" from this drunken confessions prompt list requested by @kyra75; @choicesoctober favorite ship—romantic ❤️; @choicesficwriterscreations ; @choicesprompts flufftober-confession

Synopsis: Olivia and Bryce are at the beer garden with friends and she has a (not so secret) secret to share with him.

This gorgeous and adorable art of my babies is by CoffeesForChloe (IG)

Amid the lively chatter of friends at the beer garden, Olivia couldn't contain her giddy spirit any longer. Her laughter, warmed by the buzz of a few drinks, filled the air as she slipped behind Bryce. With a mischievous smile, she wrapped her arms around him, drawing him close. Her lips found his cheek, planting a playful kiss. Bryce turned, his eyes sparkling with affection, and met her gaze.

"What have you been up to?" His fingers caressed her rosy cheek as he turned into her.

"Just sharing some juicy secrets with Merida and Casey," she hummed.

"Oh yeah?" His brow rose curiously. "Anything good?"

"Maybe. I did say juicy." Her head tipped to the side as her gaze traced his features. Her finger tapped him on the nose. "Boop."

"What was that for?"

"You're cute," she giggled again.

"Cute enough to hear one of those secrets?"

Her lip twisted in consideration. After a moment, she nodded, pulling him closer. "I love you. But that's a secret. So I won't tell you about it."

He couldn't help but smile. "Your secret's safe with me." Bryce tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "For what it's worth, I love you too, but I think that might be too obvious to be a secret."

Olivia leaned in closer, her eyes shimmering with affection under the glow of the lights strung above. With a playful grin, she replied, "I've got another secret, but it's pretty obvious too–You're all mine."

"Just the way I like it." He leaned in, capturing her lips in a tender kiss. The cool fall breeze swirled around them as the laughter and cheers of those around them continued into the night.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy! Once I got this precious art from Chloe, I knew it worked perfectly for the prompt request.

#bryce lahela #bryce lahela x mc #bryce lahela x oc #bryce oph #open heart #open heart 2 #playchoices #choices #choices game #olivia hadley #bryce x olivia #brylivia #lovealexhunt #open heart 3 #oph bryce #fan fiction #open heart fan fic #october2023

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linkysmommy · 9 months

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Oops

#for real though congrats Choices fans #we are trending again 🥳#perhaps I’ll check out blades 2… sometime #playchoices #open heart #bolas 2

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jerzwriter · 1 year

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No Cure...

Book: Open Heart (Book 2 "Reset" timeline)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Kaycee)

Rating: Teen

Words: 1037

Summary: Ethan leaves work early one day and runs into Kaycee at an unexpected place. He's impressed with a project she's undertaken, but when he walks away he realizes, there is no cure.

A/N: Thank you to @kyra75 and ananon for these two prompt requests (one two). I combined them and was SO happy to get out of my Ethan/Kaycee slump! So appreciated guys!

Yeah, I sort of mixed in my TLOU obsession lol it doesn't fit the timeline, but I only mention the fungus outbreak, not the show, so I'm going with it. lol I hope you enjoy it! I did not have a chance to edit extensively - so be kind :)

@choicesmonthlychallenge Prompt: Slow Burn, Holding Hands

Stepping out onto the busy Boston street, Ethan Ramsey took a deep breath. A self-professed workaholic, he would never admit how refreshing it felt to leave work a little early today. Not that he was truly leaving. Heading home to pack for an early flight, he knew his evening would be spent preparing for a keynote address he’d be making tomorrow at Perelman. Still, seeing the sunshine without the benefit of the thick glass windows between them was a pleasure he knew he didn’t enjoy frequently enough.

It was a lovely day, and he was delighted to live close enough that his commute home relied solely on his two feet. The crowds didn’t seem to bother him today. In fact, he may have nodded and smiled at a passer-by or two. Catching himself, he decided to reel that in. It could be a co-worker or, heaven forbid, an intern with whom he wasn’t well acquainted. He couldn’t have news of him being pleasant getting back to the hospital. He did have a reputation to uphold.

He turned down a familiar street and opened a rackety old door, the sound of the bells on the hinge announcing his arrival didn’t turn a single head inside Donahue’s, but it all but said welcome home to Ethan. His eyes blinked to adjust to the dark bar; mid-day stops here while the sun still shone brightly in the sky weren’t all that common, but this was the time he was leaving today. There was no way he was skilling his ritual that divided his work and personal lives.

Sitting on his regular stool at the nearly empty bar, he lamented that he couldn’t get here at this time more frequently. The familiar scent of stale beer was almost enjoyable when partnered with the low hum of soft jazz emitting from the speakers in the nearly empty room. A pleasant departure from the raucous crowds and their heinous jukebox selections that were present on a typical night. Maybe he should make leaving work a bit early a more common event?

“Hey, hey, hey!” A familiar baritone sang as Ethan’s regular drink was placed before him. “Not used to seeing you here so early. Don’t tell me you got fired?”

Ethan chuckled at his old friend, an only partially facetious smirk on his lips. “As if they could survive without me, Reggie.”

“You never know,” his friend snickered as he wiped down the mahogany bar. His neck stretched toward the back of the room, where a lone figure sat hunched over a pile of books in a corner booth. “I think some of these young ones may just be able to replace you one day, Dr. Ramsey.”

Ethan’s eyes followed Reggie’s motions, and his face went pale when he saw a tuft of blonde hair buried in books, her hands feverishly taking notes as the glass of ginger-ale at her side sat woefully neglected.

“It’s her day off….” Ethan said, not realizing he was talking out loud. “What is she doing here alone at this hour?”

“Got me,” Reggie shrugged with a shit-eating grin. “You know her much better than I do, after all.”

Uncomfortably clearing his throat, Ethan returned to his drink, ignoring the bartender’s comment. He already knew he was lying when he told himself he wouldn’t interrupt or acknowledge her at all. She was clearly busy, and he was there for one drink before he went home to prepare. He wouldn’t so much as make eye contact, he swore. Which only made him feel more like a fool five minutes later when he appeared at her table, fresh ginger ale in his hand.

“I don’t mean to interrupt,” he smiled sheepishly, “but the ice in your drink looks like it melted an hour ago, and it’s barely touched. So, I thought you could use a fresh one.”

Kayce knew his voice at the first syllable he spoke, but she still couldn't contain her delight when she looked up from her book, and her eyes confirmed what she already knew. Her eyes were bright, cheeks rosy… she looked like a child who was just offered their favorite treat before dinner. As lovely a sight as she was, Ethan diverted his eyes. Partly because seeing her this way warmed his heart more than he cared to admit, partly because he didn’t feel he warranted that reaction… not from Kaycee… not after all that had transpired between them.

But where Ethan felt troubled, Kaycee felt none of that at all. She happily accepted the fresh drink, pushing the now stale earlier version to the side.

“Thank you, Dr. Ramsey. What a pleasant surprise! I wouldn’t expect to see you here at this hour of the day.”

She gestured for him to sit on the bench across from her, and even though he swore to himself he wouldn’t, one motion of her hand had him succumbing to her will without thought.

“I’m leaving a bit early today… I have the speech at Perelman tomorrow….”

“Ah! My alma mater!” Kaycee beamed. “I almost wish I could go.”

“That’s right, you graduated from there,” he pretended that was news to him as if he didn’t have every bit of her history he was blessed to know committed to his mind. For all the engagements he had turned down this year, deep down, he wondered if Kaycee’s connection to Perelman hadn’t subconsciously led him to accept this invitation. “Perhaps if I go again….”

He started, but Kaycee smiled and cut him off. “Perhaps.”

She knew it wasn’t true. He wouldn’t be extending an offer for her to join him, not after the last time he had and how disastrously that had gone. Miami alone might not have precluded it, but everything that followed did. This whole reset was his idea and his alone. He knew how she felt about him… at least, she assumed he did. He was the best diagnostician in the world, after all, he had to be able to read her like a book. She was nowhere near as astute as he, and she could tell how much he was fighting his feelings anytime he looked her way. What Kaycee didn’t know is Ethan still had the edge on her for all things medical, though she’d catch up to him in time. But regarding matters of the heart, Dr. MacClennan was light years ahead of her medical idol.

“Why are you here? Buried in books, no less. It’s your day off, and I would have expected you to be doing something more pleasant.”

“What’s not pleasant about this?” She asked. “I wanted to continue a project I’m working on, but the apartment is a little noisy, and I didn’t want to be in the hospital. Donahues… it almost feels like home… and when it’s quiet like this, and I have Reggie here to watch over me, it’s a delightful place to spend my afternoon off.”

Ethan tried to contain a slight, approving grin. He understood exactly what she had meant, and Reggie had looked over him many a day when he was a resident. Sometimes it amazed him how much they…. No…. he pushed the thought from his head.

“Ehrm, so what is it you’re working on? Something for the team?”

“Not exactly,” she corrected. “Remember that group of kids that came in from the McKinley School the other day?”

“Yes, the ones who left gum wrappers all over my desk?”

Kaycee rolled her eyes. “It was one gum wrapper Ethan, left by one child. And tell me you wouldn’t have done that in third grade.”

The sheepish grin on his face was all the confirmation she needed, and now she diverted her eyes, uncomfortable with the warmth rising in her chest.

“Continue,” Ethan encouraged.

“Well, a couple of the kids were talking about that zombie movie that’s all the rage right now. They were terrified, thinking it could happen. I told them science fiction is always more fiction than science, but they weren’t convinced, and a few were genuinely scared. So, I’m putting something together that their teacher could incorporate into a science lesson showing cordyceps cannot transfer to humans.”

Ethan was impressed; he stared at her in awe of her innovation, her desire to keep children grounded in science, and mostly, her compassion at wanting to put their minds at ease. But when words escaped him, Kacyee assumed he thought it was a foolish idea. Swirling her pen nervously in her hair, she returned to her work.

“Anyway, I guess you could say it’s silly, but….”

“It’s not silly at all,” he insisted. “Honestly, I’m impressed.”

“You are?”

“Yes! You’re increasing your understanding of the topic. It’s helping improve our woefully underperforming science educational programs… you’re showing how science can be applied and maybe inspiring some bright young minds to pursue a future in the field in the process. That’s not even considering how kind it is of you to want to alleviate their fears. Kids today have enough to worry about and don’t need silly stuff to add to the plate.”

“Aww, Dr. Ramsey! You do care!” She teased.

“About you? Always… er, eh.. your medical career and innovation… that is.. of course.”

“Of course,” Kaycee said, hiding a smile.

“We have a budget to assist with local school programs. Perhaps you could work with Baz and create a lab project – something the kids could do hands-on. I’d happily approve time off for the two of you to oversee that.”

“We could! That would be incredible! I’d love that!”

He nodded, smiling brightly at her enthusiastic response. “Then consider it done. We’ll make it happen.”

“That’s such a great idea! I’m really impressed,” Kaycee joked. “You know, you’re smarter than you look, Ramsey!”

“Oh, really,” he laughed. “This is what’s convinced you of that?”

She raised her eyes to his bashfully with a little shrug.

“Now, was that a compliment for my intelligence, or an insult for my looks?”

Kaycee lifted the ginger ale Ethan had brought to her lips, taking a long gulp. You would have thought it was much more potent as it gave her the confidence to answer his question.

“Honestly, I think it’s abundantly clear that I’m highly impressed by both.”

Ethan’s eyes flickered over to hers, the air charged between him, and he felt his inhibitions slipping.

“Careful, MacClennan, it sounds like you’re flirting with me.”

Kaycee bit her lip, then smiled… what’s the worst that could happen?

“Well… I have been trying to do that for a while now,” she said, reaching over the table and placing her hand on his. “I’m happy to see you’re noticing.”

Ethan opened his mouth, but words failed him as Kaycee's eyes refused to look away from his. She smiled softly. He may have been silent, but he didn’t retrieve his hand, allowing them both to sit and basque in the overwhelming pleasure that simple gesture brought them both.

“I… I just think that….” Ethan fumbled, but Kaycee did not.

“What I wouldn’t do to have you on that FMRI now,” she purred, satisfied with the bashful grin he offered. “In fact, maybe that can be our next lesson… for the kids?”

“Uh, I don’t know,” he cleared his throat loudly. He looked around the bar, and when he was confident Reggie was the only other person there, he consciously decided to let his hand remain. Emboldened, Kaycee squeezed his hand tighter, hoping that small gesture would convey all the emotion she carried for him in her heart.

“It’s OK, and I wouldn’t want to subject the children to… us. Med school students, perhaps, elementary school, nah. Let them keep their innocence.”

The look of longing on Ethan’s face was palpable, and Kaycee knew precisely what would come next if he just would say the word… then, he pulled his hand away.

“Anyway… I should head home and begin to pack.”

“Of course,” she sighed, finding it impossible to hide the disappointment on her face. “But when you’re back… maybe you can help me with the project… for the kids… it could be… fun?”

“I’m sure it will be,” he said, standing up from the booth. “But you should work on it with Baz. Why don’t you reach out to him about it tomorrow?”

“I will,” she swallowed, lifting her glass once again. “Safe travels tomorrow, Ethan, and thank you for… for everything.”

She watched Ethan until he walked out the front door, never once catching Reggie shaking his head with disappointment. It took some time before she could gather her thoughts and return to her work, only one thought on her mind as she did.

No, fungus won’t take over your brain, kids. You don’t have to worry about that. Fungus won’t take over your heart or your mind, but love… I make no promises about what love might do to you… and it seems once you’re infected, there is no cure.

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justcallmefox89 · 16 days

Text

Irresistible Force Paradox: Chapter Five - An Open Heart fic

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

After a tragedy, Rory and Ethan call a temporary ceasefire.

I sprint into the waiting room at Edenbrook, frantically looking around for anyone who may have answers about Delores. I spot Ramsey sitting alone, staring down at his hands, and I rush over to him.

“Dr. Ramsey? What happened? Where’s Delores?” I pant, bending in half and sucking in air, my hands on my knees.

He doesn’t answer me for several long moments, making me fidget impatiently. I’m opening my mouth to repeat myself when he finally meets my eyes.

“Delores had a seizure,” he says hollowly, his eyes distant and unfocused. “Full eclampsia. We had no choice but to deliver the baby. It’s 50/50 he’ll survive the night.”

“No…” I breathe out. My knees buckles but I mange to catch myself on the arm of the chair Ramsey is sitting in. “Where’s Delores?”

“She died.”

My blood roars in my ears, drowning out all of the other mundane hospital sounds surrounding us. My eyes burn as small tendrils of grief take root in my chest, quickly stamped out by the heavier, more intense feeling of anger. Anger at the randomness, the unfairness of it all. Anger at myself for not having done more, not fighting Ramsey harder, not making Delores understand just how serious her condition was.

NO.

“Dr. Ramsey, - ”

“I’m fine.” He stands and quickly strides away without looking back.

A while later I tiptoe into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, clutching that stupid stuffed frog, and silently begin searching the incubators for Delores’s son. I allow myself a tiny smile when I finally find him and read his name tag.

Ethan Hudson. How about that…

“Can I help you?”

I whirl around in surprise to face the attending on duty. “His mother was my patient. She got to name him?” I ask, vaguely gesturing towards the incubator.

“She told me just as she was rushed to the O.R. The poor thing. We’ll know more in the morning,” she answers, casting a sad look towards the baby.

“Do you mind if I sit with him tonight?”

“Feel free.”

“Do you mind if he has this?” I hold up the frog. “His mother wanted him to have it. It’s been sterilized.”

“Go ahead,” she says, shrugging as she walks away.

I pull on a pair of sterile gloves and place the stuffed animal into the incubator, tucking it close to the baby. He snuggles weakly against it, and tears prick my eyes. “That’s it, tadpole. That’s the way.”

I sit down on the couch next to the incubator and put my hand back inside, allowing the baby to grasp one of my gloves fingers. I relax into the couch, preparing for a long, sleepless night.

********************************************** Ethan rounds the corner to enter the N.I.C.U. and draws up short as the sound of a now irritatingly familiar voice floats out to meet him.

“Can you believe some people actually think Black Jack Randall is attractive? Like the book version, not the actor in the series?”

Ethan peers around on the doorjamb to see O’Shea seated next to the incubator housing Delores’s son, having a very enthusiastic one-side conversation with the infant.

“I know! After everything he did to Jamie… I can’t believe it either. How do you feel about Lord John as a character?” Rory pauses as if listening to the baby’s reply. “Well obviously… clearly you’re a gentleman of taste. Can I talk about my gripe with Roger for a second? Because honestly - ”

“Ahem.” Ethan clears his throat and Rory glances over at him, eyes wide and cheeks pink with embarrassment. “What are you still doing here?”

“I’m staying here tonight.” O’Shea turns his attention back to the incubator. “I hate the idea of him fighting for his life alone.”

“There are plenty of doctors working overnight. If something happens, they’ll be here.”

“I know.”

The whisper is so soft Ethan can barely hear it. “Would you mind if I joined you?”

O’Shea’s wide green eyes betray his surprise and it takes him a moment to answer. “Not at all,” he finally says, shaking his head and scooting over to make room on the couch.

***************************************************

Ethan settles down on the couch next to me and for a while the soft, rhythmic whoosh of the ventilator is the only sound in the room. He catches sight of the stuffed frog and breaks out into a rare smile.

“You gave him the frog. Delores would have been…” His face falls and his falls silent at the reminder of the loss of his friend. “She would have been pleased.”

I bite the inside of my cheek and blink quickly in an effort to hold off the tears that have been threatening to fall all night.

“The first patient I lost… I was in my fourth week,” Ethan says, his voice more gentle than I thought him capable of. “I didn’t make any mistakes. He had stage four metastatic melanoma. He just… fought like hell and lost. I liked him. He wasn’t much older than I am now. I knew he didn’t have long to live, but it still hit me hard.”

I take a shallow, shuddering breath. “I can’t let this get to me,” I mumble.

“Grieving a lost patient isn’t a weakness. Good doctors should value life. For itself. I’d be more concerned if you weren’t upset. Just know this wasn’t your fault. Or mine. Or Delores’s. We all made the best decisions we could with the information we had.”

The argument that we could have done things differently is at the tip of my tongue, but I bite it back. “I could have done more,” I say bitterly. “I failed her.”

Ethan sighs. “It’s important to push yourself, Rookie, but you will take a lot of losses. We all do. What matters is that you come back stronger.”

I glance at him suspiciously from the corner of my eye. “Why are you being so nice to me? Usually you’re…”

“Demanding?” he helpfully supplies.

“An asshole,” I mumble.

Other than a slight raise of his eyebrows Ethan doesn’t comment on my assessment of his character. He stares off into space, sorting his thoughts. “There are doctors with unlimited patience,” he says eventually. “I am not one of them. Energy I could use socializing, or making someone’s day better, I put towards my patience. They’re who I’m here for.”

“Well that explains why you and Dr. Emery broke up,” I mutter under my breath.

“Rookie…” Ethan’s tone is warning.

“You’re a teacher too,” I point out, attempting to backtrack.

“One of many, and you shouldn’t model yourself after any of us. Idolatry among physicians is absurd. We’re here to teach you practical medicine. You need to find your own way of being a doctor.”

“And… how do I do that?” I ask, twisting on the couch to fully face him, ready to absorb whatever Yoda-like knowledge he’s preparing to hand down.

The corner’s of Ethan’s lips tip up into a gentle smile. “You already are.”

What the fuck does that mean?

The baby stretches and wiggles, and Ethan scoots closer to the incubator, offering him a gloved finger. A soft, absent looks washes over Ethan’s face as the baby tightly clutches his finger.

“She named him after you,” I murmur.

His eyes widen in surprise as he looks down at the nametag. His jaw tightens and his throat works as he swallows. “I… see she did.”

“Did you know Delores a long time?” I venture.

“Over ten years. When I first emailed her I only meant to check in. But she was recently divorced, feeling alone, so she insisted on coffee. And then it turned into more emails and meeting once every couple months for Sunday roast.

“She sounds like a good friend.”

“I didn’t make friends easily when I started here, so I was always grateful to her for that.” Ethan swallows hard and falls silent, gazing intently at Delores’s baby. His eyes are red.

Unconsciously I reach out and place my hand over his. “I’m so sorry this happened,” I whisper, my voice cracking slightly.

Ethan glances up at me, surprise at first, and then something I can’t decipher in his shining blue eyes. He holds my gaze, his hand broad and warm beneath my own.

“Me too.” He roughly clears his throat. “I think we need coffee.”

“I can get some,” I offer, not having the heart to tell him I don’t like coffee.

“No. I’ll go.”

Several minutes tick by as I watch baby Ethan sleep, counting each shallow rise and fall of his chest. I start to drift off, the ambient hospital sounds soothing me.

“Here you go, Rookie.”

I shake my head, trying to clear away the cobwebs, and gingerly take the steaming mug Ethan’s hand me. I wrinkle my nose as the bitter smell of coffee assaults my senses and steel myself to take a sip. I fight the urge to gag, rather valiantly I think, and force down the drink.

Ethan attempts to hide a smirk behind his mug. “You could have said you weren’t a fan of coffee, Rookie.”

Apparently I’m not as subtle as I thought.

I sheepishly set the mug on the small table next to the couch. “Sorry. I do appreciate the thought though.”

************************************************

Ethan gazes down at the sleeping O’Shea, who’s currently curled up against Ethan’s side. The two had talked long into the night, seamlessly bouncing from subject to subject. Ethan had found himself truly enjoying the conversation; Rory had proven to be well-versed in many subjects, and his quick, caustic sense of humor had Ethan laughing more than he had in months. Several strands of inky dark hair have fallen over Rory’s face, and his glasses are slightly askew. Ethan’s lips quirk up at the endearing sight, his breath catching as Rory’s nuzzles against his arm.

“Rookie,” he murmurs, gently brushing the loose hair back away from Rory’s face. “Come on Rookie, time to wake up.”

Rory sits up slowly, yawning and stretching his arms over his head. He adjusts his glasses and turns to the incubator. Baby Ethan rests soundly, still snuggled against the stuffed frog.

“He made it!” Rory flashes Ethan a beaming smile, unable to contain his joy.

“And he’s getting stronger.”

Rory takes out his hair tie, shaking the unruly strands loose, unable to stop smiling. He runs a hand through his now unbound hair and checks his phone, his smile falling a little as he notes the time.

“Damn,” he sighs. I have rounds in twenty minutes. I need to go shower.”

Ethan sucks in a shallow breath, fighting to think about anything other than a naked, soapy Rory, hands trailing over lithe muscles… “I’ll stay a little longer,” he quickly offers.

Rory stands, smiling at the baby one last time. “Catch you later, tadpole.”

“Rory,” Ethan calls out as the other man is halfway out the door.

Rory skids to a halt and looks back over his shoulder. “Hm?”

“Thank you.”

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