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jerzwriter · 3 months

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A Different Fate - Final Chapter

OMG, it took me entirely too long to complete this, but I'm so happy now that it's done! I am so, so grateful to the anonymous (to you, not to me 😉) donor to the Write for Gaza project, who requested I finish this by the end of January. Well - I did it! And thank you so, so much - I can't tell you how much it means!

A Different Fate - Series Masterlist

Book: Open Heart (Post Series)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (past)

Featuring: Tobias Carrick, Sienna Trinh

Rating: Teen

Words: 3,700

Category: Short-Series/AU/Lost Love

Summary: Ethan's first attempt to talk to Casey didn't work out, but now, with Tobias & Sienna's help, will it finally work out? Or will they have to resign and accept their fate?

A/N: When I started this, it was supposed to be a one-off, and now, I'm finally done after 5 parts! It's funny how these things take on a life of their own. I know a few of you have been very anxious for this to post, and I thank you for your extraordinary patience. I hope you find it's worth it in the end! @choicesjanuary2024 Day 23 - Hope Ethan x Kaycee Masterlist | My Full Masterlist

The bus jolted forward the moment the light turned green, jostling its passengers around like dolls—every passenger except for Sienna Trinh. Growing increasingly impatient with her “charge,” she sat firmly in place, arms crossed defiantly before her chest.

“This is a stupid idea!” She said, slapping a startled Ethan’s arm across the bus aisle.

“Oww!”

“Don’t oww, me!” She fired back. “You blew my advice off yesterday, and look how well that went. Maybe you should listen to me now.”

“I know,” Ethan droned. “But this is different.”

“Si, I have to agree with Ethan on this one,” Tobias said, his face twisting as he realized his words. “Shit! It hurt more than I expected to say that.”

“Thanks, pal.”

“Don’t mention it,” Tobias smirked. “Si, he can’t do this right now. He’d have to ambush her at work, and you see how well that went. We have a plan in place; it will be fine.”

“Normally, I’d agree with you, but I’m done tempting fate with these two. Something always goes wrong.”

“Look, the bonehead has put it off eight years. It can wait another eight hours to ensure it’s done right.”

“You know,” Ethan interrupted, “it might be helpful if the two of you wouldn’t talk about me like I wasn’t here.”

Sienna turned to him, brow raised. “It would be great if you didn’t need the two of us here to make sure you don’t blow it!”

“She makes a point,” Tobias nodded, pleased with Ethan’s exasperation.

“Can we stick to the point?”

“The point is, you’ll speak to Kaycee tonight.”

“Yeah, after your date,” Ethan chuckled ruefully. “

“It’s not a date!” Tobias spat. “You know damn well I’m just going to the party with her to get that asshole Douglas off her back.”

Ethan shot a half-doubtful look.

“Really?” Tobias said incredulously. “I’ve been rooting for you two since she left Boston, and this is how you treat me? Trust me, Ramsey, all Kaycee wants is you, and the last thing I’d ever want is to have you as a metamour.”

Sienna’s nose scrunched. “A meta-what?”

Tobias waved her off with a chuckle. “Trust me, Si, you’re better off not knowing. Now, stop worrying. I’ll take Kaycee to the party, give the creepy doctor a few death stares, and after a drink or two, I’ll mention you’re in town, play wingman, then you swoop in for the grand finale. We’ve got it under control.”

“Yeah,” Sienna rolled her eyes. “With you two at the wheel, what could possibly go wrong?”

~~~~~

“I’m coming!” Kaycee clumsily rushed across her apartment to answer the door, slipping into her silver heels along the way. She opened the door breathless but stunning nevertheless. “Hey,” she smiled.

A grin spread across Tobias’s face; he had forgotten how well Dr. MacClennan cleaned up. With her long blonde curls cascading over her shoulder, barely skimming the bodice of her strapless ice-blue gown, she looked more like someone who spent her day posing for Vogue than saving lives in scrubs.

“What do you think?” she grinned.

“What do I think? If this is how you look for a fake date, what the hell do you do on real ones? How many heart attacks have you been responsible for, MacClennan?”

“Shit!” She said with a stomp of her foot. “I screwed up! I shouldn’t have brought you tonight!”

“Oh, why?”

“I should have invited Dr. Douglas himself! If I knew cardiac arrest would be the result, well, that would be one way to be rid of him.”

Tobias burst out laughing. “I forgot just how wicked you could be.”

Slipping an earring in, she winked. “I’d feel guilty about it ten minutes later. Not guilty enough to start CPR, but guilty all the same."

"Well, I'm happy to provide a less lethal way of getting rid of Dr. Jackass.”

She grabbed her clutch off the side table and looked at Tobias, casually leaning against the door. She swore he hadn’t aged a day, still wearing that signature confident swagger as well as he wore his dark, tailor-made suit. She crossed her arms and shook her head disapprovingly.

“What?” He asked, checking his attire to see if something was wrong. “Do I not clean up as well as you?”

“Too well. If word gets out that I’m dating you, no one will ask me out again. They’d be afraid of the competition.”

He chuckled softly, visions of Ethan in his mind. “Well, let’s hope it won’t come to that.”

Stepping to Kaycee’s side, he offered his arm. “Shall we?”

“Let’s go!”

~~~~~

The party was exactly what one would expect to cap off the career of a renowned doctor from one of the top hospitals in the world. The rooftop ballroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows provided a panoramic view of the City’s famed skyline; fairy lights scattered throughout the room illuminated it with an ethereal glow. Warm notes from the piano wafted through the air, competing with the gentle hum of convivial chatter as tuxedoed waiters distributed flutes of Dom Perignon. Tobias and Kaycee were on a mission and played the part of an enamored new couple so well that they earned envious stares, not only from Dr. Douglas but from several others as well. But as much fun as that was, Tobias couldn’t get his mind off his primary goal of the night: getting Ethan and Kaycee together. He looked at his watch. She only wanted to stay two hours, and they were about to hit that mark.

“Hey,” he whispered, “Wanna take a spin around the dancefloor before we blow this joint? Make this look legit?”

Wordlessly placing her empty champagne flute on a passing waiter's tray, she took Tobias’s hand and led him to the dancefloor. Ironically, finding the most privacy they’d had all night.

“Dancing was a good idea,” she said. “Everyone knows I wouldn’t leave a party without dancing... and it’s not like you’re a stick in the mud that would refuse me.”

“Kacyee, it would be difficult for anyone to refuse you.”

“Yeah,” she smiled sadly, “You’d be surprised.”

“I don’t know about that. For Christ's sake, you used to get Ramsey to dance back in the day. I thought only an act of God could accomplish that!”

Kaycee’s body tensed, and her feet seemed to forget what they were supposed to do. As she stood still on the dance floor, Tobias looked her in the eye.

“I’m sorry, did I overstep?”

Kaycee shook her head and continued to dance. “It’s been so nice seeing you, but it takes me back, and sometimes, that can be hard, you know?”

“Yeah, I do. It takes me back, too, but is that such a bad thing? We had some good times.”

“Ha! It all depends,” she chuckled. “Do you have a time machine? Because I’d be happy to go back, but only if I could write a different fate.”

“I can’t do that,” he sighed. “Not the time machine part, but... maybe I can help with the different fate.”

Her brow furrowed. “What?”

“Come on,” he said, taking her hand. “Follow me.”

Kaycee remained silent as they ran down the plushly carpeted hall. But, when they found an empty banquet room, she wanted answers.

“OK, we’re alone now. What’s going on?”

“I want to talk to you about Ethan.”

Kaycee shook her head, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.

“We did that. We had that conversation at dinner the other night. We don’t need to do it again.”

“Did we have that conversation? Because as far as I remember, I didn’t tell you that he was here.”

“He’s what? He’s here... like in New York?”

“I’ll do one better,” he smiled. “He’s sitting at the bar in the lobby.”

Her eyes narrowed, and Tobias wasn’t sure if he saw shock or anger flickering in them.

“You told me he was in Boston. You said he refused to come with you!”

“He was. Or at least I thought he was. But when I got to my hotel that night, he was there.”

She crossed her arms smugly. “So he came to attend the conference. Right?”

“Nope. He didn’t come for the conference. He came here for you.”

“For me?” Her voice cracked. “He came here for me. Yet he’s been in town for two days and hasn’t reached out to me once.”

“Well... about that. He did. He stopped by Langone yesterday and sort of heard you tell Dr. Douglass that you had a thing... for me.”

Kaycee felt her stomach drop. “No!”

“Yes.”

“No, no, no, no! He doesn’t really think I want you, does he?”

“Hey, don’t act so disgusted!” Tobias said defensively. “Believe it or not, most people would kill to get with this... but Ethan knows you’re not one of them. I can’t give you a time machine, but you can give yourself a second chance.”

She remained silent, her heart beating faster as she stared out the window into the night.

“Tobias, it’s taken me eight years to say his name without crying. To recall our time together and feel whistful, not just sad. I’m content with my life here, and if I open that door and it slams shut once again... I don’t know that I could take it.”

“Kaycee, you’re right. Eight years have passed, and a lot has changed. Like you – you’re not a young, wide-eyed resident anymore. You have a brilliant career that can only be attributed to one thing – and that’s you. No one could dare say you made it because you were involved with him. You love each other. Why keep denying it.”

“He loves me?” She asked. “He used those exact words.”

“Well, he didn’t actually say the words, but... why would he say them to me? Why don’t you give him a chance... to say them to you?”

“But Tobias,” she said with a quiver in her voice. “What if... what if it doesn’t work?”

“But Kaycee... what if it does?”

~~~~~

Boston and Philadelphia had skyscrapers for sure, but neither city could hold a candle to New York, and right now, Kaycee couldn't be more grateful to the town she now called home. Sixty-eight floors, she thought, taking a tentative step into the elevator. Sixty-eight floors stood between her and the lobby, and she hoped they’d stop at each one.

Standing in the back corner, she relied on the walls to keep her upright as passengers piled in. She needed time. Time to think, to decide what she’d say, to breathe.... sixty-eight floors should have given her the time she needed to center and gain a semblance of composure. But it went by in an instant, and when the elevator doors began sliding over, all she could do was watch in horror.

Her head was spinning, and her mind was lost in a cloud of confusion. Ethan was waiting in the lobby... for her? It couldn’t be real. Tourists and locals alike chatted happily about their evening plans as they stepped out, a direct contrast to Kacyee, who stood frozen in fear. Only the elevator operator’s gruff voice brought her back to reality.

“Ma’am, are you getting out?”

She turned to him, then back to the door, and considered returning to the grand ballroom. But something inside her stirred. Tobias was right; she was no longer playing the part of the ingenue, filled with hope and naivete that were somehow both her greatest strength and weakness. No, she was a big girl now, and whatever happened when she walked through that door... she’d be able to handle it.

“Ma’am," the man repeated with increased irritation. “Shall I close the doors?"

“Uhm. No," she said, standing upright and dusting off the front of her gown. “No. I’m getting off here.”

The world seemed to move in slow motion as she stepped into the lobby. If this were a movie, Ethan would be waiting across a crowded room, their eyes would meet in an instant, and the credits would roll as soon as they shared a perfect kiss, one that left no doubt that they were destined for happily ever after. But real life seldom ran so smoothly, as Kaycee was about to confirm. She looked all around, to the left and the right, but no sign of him. She walked the perimeter of the room, even just outside, and still... nothing. Tobias said Ethan would be at the bar, so she returned and hopped on a stool to wait and wait. She was patient at first, but five minutes passed, then ten. Her fingers began to rap against the rich mahogany countertop when it reached fifteen, and by twenty? By twenty, she had enough.

Standing up with a weary sigh, she chastised herself for opening that door even a crack. You should have learned by now, she thought as she headed toward the exit. She was almost outside when she saw Tobias coming off the elevator. She turned on her high heel and headed his way. Why lambast herself if she could lambast him? He didn’t see her coming and reacted with surprise when he felt the shove on his shoulder.

“He’s here, huh? He’s waiting for me at the bar? Well, guess what? He didn’t show!”

“Kaycee,” Tobia started, but she wouldn’t allow him to speak.

“No! Don’t Kaycee me! This is precisely l why I didn’t want to get my hopes up! This is how it always ends with us... either he walks away, or he doesn’t show... and I swore I wouldn’t put myself in this position again!”

“Kayce, if you’d just let me....”

“NO! No, I don’t want to hear what you have to say because all that matters is that he’s not here! He’s not here, and....”

Her breath hitched when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Is that....” she whispered.

“You know,” Tobias smirked. “You might want to turn around.”

She turned around slowly, and just like that, life was imitating art. A feeling of warmth surrounded her the moment their eyes met. He may have aged a little, but she’d know him... she’d know those eyes... anywhere.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, handing her a single red rose. “I stepped out to buy this from a street vendor. I thought it would be a nice touch.”

With her heart racing, she lifted the flower to her nose and inhaled its fragrant scent.

“And that took twenty minutes?” she grinned, putting Ethan at ease.

“Well, I also needed to go to the men's room. It took more than one glass of Scotch to get up the nerve to offer you an apology that could make up for eight years.”

“Ethan,” she whispered, at a loss for words.

“Well, this is the shittiest rose ceremony I’ve ever seen, and I’ve had to suffer through many an episode of The Bachelor,” Tobias observed. He pat Ethan on the back. “Nice touch, a little cheesy, but not bad for you.”

“You can go now,” Ethan grumbled.

“I was planning on it,” Tobias nodded at Kaycee, then looked Ethan in the eye. “You two can take it from here. Don’t fuck this up.”

“Can we?” Kaycee asked once Tobias was gone. “Can we take it from here, or will one of us mess it up somehow?”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” he smiled. “Why don’t we go someplace and talk.”

~~~~~

She couldn’t remember leaving the hotel lobby or how they decided where they would walk. All she knew was they ended up strolling along Central Park West, a comfortable distance between them, as she chattered aimlessly about nothing at all. Anything to avoid an awkward silence or, worse yet, an awkward conversation. While Kaycee faced straight ahead, Ethan couldn’t keep his eyes off her. She was as beautiful as he remembered, perhaps even more so. He was afraid if he took his eyes away, she’d disappear, and he wouldn’t allow that. Then, even in the dim streetlights, he saw her starting to shiver, and without missing a beat, he removed his jacket and placed it over her shoulders, bringing her to a stop.

“I’m sorry,” he said, taking a half step back. “You looked cold.”

“Yes,” she smiled nervously. “It is... it is getting cold.” She motioned to a food truck on the edge of the street and smiled. “I’d suggest we get coffee to warm up, but I know that wouldn’t meet your standards.”

“Is that what you want?” He asked. “Go. Go sit on that bench, and I’ll get us some.”

“You’re going to drink coffee... from a food truck?”

Ethan shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips. “I have to start living a little sometime. Tonight sounds like the perfect time to start.”

He walked away, and Kaycee hollered after him. “Wait, you didn’t ask how I wanted my coffee."

He turned around with his hands in his pockets and utter confidence. “At this hour? Decaff. Definitely, decaff with a splash of milk, preferably almond, but if they don’t have that, plain milk will do. And Splenda, two Splenda... even though you know they’re not good for you.”

A slow smile spread across Kaycee’s lips. “You... remember.”

“Yes,” he nodded. “I remember everything.”

“Well, I take three Splenda now,” she winked, and he felt his heart flutter.

“Go sit,” he smiled, and she all but skipped away.

She watched his silhouette in the ethereal light, still attempting to convince herself this was real. But she had to believe it was true when she felt the steaming hot cup in her hand. She watched with anticipation as Ethan took a sip from his cup and couldn’t help but laugh when he tried to contain a grimace.

“Oh, it’s funny,” he smiled. “Do you enjoy watching me suffer?”

“No,” she whispered, gently taking his hand and placing her coffee on the bench beside her. “No, I think we’ve both suffered plenty, and I don’t want either of us to suffer anymore.”

The touch of her hand impacted him more than he could have imagined, and he found himself unable to speak. He turned to her with tears in his eyes, just managing to mutter her name before pulling her into a tight embrace. Kaycee buried her face in his shoulder, taking in the warm, familiar scent she used to know so well. One of Ethan’s hands was entangled in her curls, while his other arm pulled her as close as he possibly could. They stayed there a long while, silent and amazed at the reality – both had assumed if this day were ever to come, it would be filled with fireworks. An explosion of passion that couldn’t be felt miles away. But the reality was different. It was warm, safe, comforting, a loving embrace each had desired for so long – it wasn’t fireworks, it was coming home.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” her voice cracked. “I can’t believe you’re in my arms.”

“I’m trying to believe it myself,” he said, pulling back to gaze into her crystal blue eyes. His hand cupped her chin, his thumb tenderly stroking her cheek. “You’re so beautiful. What kind of fool am I depriving myself of seeing this face for so long?”

Kayce reached up to take his hand, gently placing a kiss on it. “Then, shall we try to rectify that now?”

“We could. If that’s what you want.”

Kaycee sat back with a smile so gentle and warm Ethan didn’t need words to know her answer. She reached up and messed up his hair. “How did we screw us up so badly? I mean, I can blame it on being young and stupid, but you didn’t have that luxury.”

Laughing, he took her hand. “You may have been young, but you were never stupid. You knew so much more than me. I know there’s no fairy godmother that will show up with a magic wand, and I know we will still have things to work out. But the thing I know most of all is that I love you. I love you with all my heart, and I’ve wasted too many years without you by my side. I’m determined to put an end to that as soon as I can.”

“You love me,” she sighed. “Well, that’s good... because I love you. I love you so much.”

Ethan reached over and embraced her, letting out a joyful groan as he lifted them to their feet. She held on tight as he spun her around, stopping to gently put her back down. They stood face-to-face, a world of memories crossing their minds as they gazed into each other’s eyes. Time and distance had done nothing to them; their love remained the same. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, lighting a flame that had flickered but never extinguished. It was more than a kiss. It was a promise, a silent vow that was a testament to their love, which had never, ever died.

“We can’t screw this up, Ethan,” she said as they broke away. “If we’re going to do this, I want this to be forever. I can’t lose you again.”

“Good!” He grinned brighter than she had ever seen. “Because I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Ethan offered his arm, which she gladly accepted, nuzzling her head into his shoulder as they started to walk.

“So, where are we going?” She asked.

“Well, I do have a hotel room nearby.”

Kaycee playfully nudged him. “A hotel room? Mister, I have a whole apartment, and it’s quite nice! You know, your girl did all right for herself!”

“Oh, I’ve kept tabs on you. I know you did.”

“Then let’s go!”

As they walked to her apartment, they passed the café Kaycee had dined in not too long ago, and she told Ethan the story of that night. How two estranged lovers had come together, and he professed his undying love. She relayed how she was trying to listen in on their conversation, but in the end, she didn’t need to since the young man yelled it out for all to hear. The crowd applauded, and she secretly paid their bill. It was straight out of a movie.

“I’m glad you got to see that,” Ethan smiled. “You always loved a happy ending.”

“Mmm-hmm,” she agreed. “And now, I’ve got one of my own.”

(Yep that last part was from Part 1. 😊)

Thanks so much for reading!

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

#choices fanfic #playchoices fanfic #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x f!mc #tobias carrick #sienna trinh #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week #playchoices #open heart #open heart choices #choices open heart #open heart fanfic

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mydemonsdrivealimo · 29 days

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Your Death, Your Dog, Your Declaration

Chapter 1/?

Book: Open Heart

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x Jensen Valentine (M!MC) (Not official/eventual)

Characters: Jensen Valentine, Bryce Lahela, Keiki Lahela, Sienna Trinh, Rafael Aveiro (mentioned)

Rating: Mature

Words: <2k

Series Summary: The chemical attack, as told in the world of Jensen Valentine and those close to him.

Chapter Summary: The night of the chemical attack hit Bryce hard. Harder than the victims on death's door. He's guilty, and it's killing him.

A/N: this piece will be dual/multi POV, so while this starts with Bryce, look forward to the others!!

~~~

1:04 AM

Out.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

In.

Out…

In.

Still 1:04.

Out.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

In…

Out.

In.

Out.

In.

1:05 AM

1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9—shit. 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10...11...12...13...14. 56.

1:06 AM

“Stop doing that, I’m not dead yet,” Jensen grumbled sleepily, yanking his hand back into his lap.

“Sorry,” Bryce replied. His tone was more lifeless than Jensen looked, tired and dejected.

Jensen rolled over, facing him. “You know it’s right there for a reason, right?” He said it with hardly a glance at the heart rate monitor, too exhausted to manage more.

“Just keeping myself busy,” Bryce answered. “You should go to sleep.”

“Really?” he quipped, fast and sharp as always, “I hadn’t thought of it.”

It earned him a grin—a real one, as difficult as it was—but it faded just as fast. Bryce took Jensen’s hand again, playing with his fingers and holding extra tight, the gloves making it impossible to feel the dryness of his hands. They were always scratchy and rough from washing and sanitizing tens of times in a day, fingers calloused on the ends. His nails, painted a dark blue, were starting to chip. Would the embalmers take it off or repaint them?

Jensen shook him off, reminding him again that he wasn’t gone yet, and fidgeted with the blanket over himself. He ran the texture between his fingers.

“Do you want to be cremated or embalmed?” Bryce asked. He still watched his hands, distracted.

“Oh, cremated, for sure—unless I can haunt Ethan, that is.”

There was a lightness to Jensen’s tone, seeming as monotone and factual as usual, but the ludicrous theory giving away to Bryce that he was joking.

“I’m being serious.”

As he looked back up, Jensen’s eyes were a flat, solid shade of unforgiving, boring brown. No depth to the green hues Bryce could catch in the afternoon sunlight—just as sterile as the fluorescents illuminating them.

“If you keep acting like I’m dead, I’m going to kick you out. You’re supposed to be the optimist here, this is completely backwards.”

Bryce took a breath, looking down at the large, clunky suit he donned. “...I know. I’m trying.”

“Try harder. We could be talking about anything and you’re worried about my not-guaranteed funeral.” He said the next part in a mocking tone—a phrase Bryce had said plenty of times. “Not very ‘go with the flow’ of you.”

“How are you being more chill about this than I am?”

“Because I’m fine.” And the undeniable way he said it made it feel like the truth. Even with the dark circles under his eyes, and the exhaustion he couldn’t shake, it felt true. “If I die, oh well. Life moves on—it’s not like I’ll know it.”

As much as Bryce wanted to argue, wanted to correct the flaws in his thinking, he didn’t want to strain him with an unnecessary effort to defend himself. He was there to comfort him and that’s what he would try to do. “You seem more comfortable talking about death than you do small talk.”

Jensen's laugh turned into a cough, far into his chest with an agonizing sound that had Bryce reaching for the emesis basin. He waved him off, taking a sip of his water before settling back in the bed.

“It’s not the first time I’ve thought about it,” Jensen replied, a little more serious, a little more real.

Bryce gave him an inquisitive look, but Jensen just responded with a tired head tilt that meant he could interpret it however he wanted. He didn’t.

Maybe he should. Maybe it was naive to have hope, but he would wait as long as he had to for Jensen to tell him what that meant. What any of it meant. All the vague references and to-himself jokes that Bryce didn’t understand—he wanted to. He wanted to know every detail of him: what built him and what broke him.

Once again playing with Jensen’s hands, a gentle encouragement to lull him to sleep, he recalled a night at Donahue’s like the others. The group shared stories from undergrad, their drunkest and most embarrassing moments, but Jensen had been utterly silent. Not that it was far out of character, but when multiple opportunities were presented to make fun of Landry and he took none of them, Bryce was going to notice.

It was also easy to recognize when he had been perfecting it himself for years. He remembered trying to stay quiet in an effort to go unnoticed, but that method never worked well given how often he was the one talking. For Jensen, it was believable; it was a perfectly practiced way to hide something.

But Bryce’s eyes had always been drawn to him. From the first day he walked into the locker room, all piercing glances and analytical expressions, Bryce noticed him. Noticed the light inflections in his tone, a small but important indicator most didn’t pick up on, but was obvious to anyone who bothered to learn him.

Bryce didn’t learn enough of him. No, it didn’t help that Jensen was the opposite of chatty, but he couldn’t help feeling some ounce of guilt for that. “I don’t think you’ve stopped talking since I met you.” Did he take up every conversation? Were there times Jensen was going to share something about himself—something worth something—that Bryce covered with his own insignificant blabber?

Everything was worth something when usually he got nothing at all. Jensen’s silence was not odd, after you got used to it, that is, and neither was the lack of substance. Bryce wanted more than that.

What were his hobbies? He could take a guess from the keyboard and bass in his room, but was it ever more serious than a display on the wall?

All he knew was a shell of a person, only the details you could see on the outside, and he just never bothered to ask for anything more. He settled for the least amount of worth you could get from a person and never batted an eye, just kept talking and talking and fucking talking.

What was his favorite restaurant in the city? One of the places they went together? Or somewhere Bryce never bothered to ask about?

Boston was Jensen’s home for just over a year, yet he had 26 before that elsewhere.

Where did he grow up?

When was his birthday?

What was his middle name?

Did he want to be cremated or embalmed?

A tap on the window caught his attention. Sienna was standing there with his phone in her hand, shaking it in a way that said he needed to check it. He glanced over Jensen again, well asleep this time, and carefully set his hand down.

A long slew of profanities left his mouth as he wrestled with the suit, grabbing his phone as fast as possible to see the tens of missed calls from Keiki. He barely had it in his hands before pressing the call back button. Waiting for a long few rings, she finally answered.

“Hey, sorry, I—”

“No, it’s fine, are you okay? I saw the news.” The breathiness in her voice showed her concern no matter how hard she fought to keep her tone even.

“Yes, I’m okay. I wasn’t there when it happened.” He checked over Jensen one more time through the window, still asleep, before gathering his things to leave. “I’ll be home in twenty minutes; did you eat anything?”

It took her a second to answer. “Uh, no. I…wasn’t really hungry.”

“I’ll get you something.”

He opened the locker room door to collect his coat and keys, tossing the latter on as she replied, “It’s like two in the morning, nothings going to be open.”

“I’ll get you something,” he repeated before ending the call, shoving his phone into his pocket and starting towards his car.

Twenty minutes later he arrived home, gas station food in a plastic bag he tossed on the counter.

“I’m sorry,” he said as she stood from the couch, in pajamas and yawning but set up with a movie and her phone to keep her awake.

“It’s fine, I’m just glad you’re okay, I guess,” she said, taking a bag of chips out and opening them up. He declined when she offered them, standing aimlessly in the middle of the kitchen.

He couldn’t sit down knowing the uncertainty of what was happening at the hospital, but he couldn’t pace around agitated the whole night. He would wait until Keiki was asleep then return to the hospital for an update. Maybe text Sienna while he waited.

“You look like you’re going to be sick,” Keiki commented, shoving a handful into her mouth. The thought of eating did make him sick, but he just shrugged it off.

“It was just stressful,” he replied, trying to have some semblance of normalcy. He set his phone and keys down, almost robotic, on the dining table. She was watching his every move, even as he took a breath, reminding himself that normally he’d go change. So, he did.

His bed was a mess, blankets crumpled from where Keiki had taken it over, her stack of books on the nightstand along with her clothes in a heap on the floor. Grabbing his change of clothes, he took them to the bathroom, sensing that it was no longer his space.

She was still in the kitchen when he returned, watching him again.

“I forgot to ask, but were your friends okay?”

That was all it took for his lip to tremble, unable to get an answer out. He distracted himself with grabbing the remote from the couch, setting it on the coffee table and sitting down with a deep breath. He waited for the ache in the back of his throat to subside with every following breath, blinking back the wetness around his eyes.

“No.”

But he could barely choke back the sob escaping from his throat, sending the tears well over the floodgates.

He never even got a moment to check on Raf, and even in the half an hour he was gone, Jensen’s condition could have significantly worsened. It was too easy to imagine when he was out of his sight, no tangible proof in front of him: no dry comments and no tired grins, the same ones he’d probably never see again.

Wiping the tears was a useless effort, a constant flow wetting his face and soaking his sleeves.

The couch dipped next to him. Keiki tucked a few tissues into his hand before wrapping her arms around him.

And he remembered it from a thousand times before. The nights he’d come home late and have it out with his dad in the middle of the foyer, giving everything just as vicious as he got it, but only ending with him in tears. Keiki would sneak in, probably woken up by the shouting, to ask what was going on, but the minute she saw his face she’d climb up his bed to wrap him in a huge that couldn’t quite reach around him. It didn’t matter if she didn’t know the details—it was better she didn’t—but she was the only one there who had enough compassion to try.

Here she was again, picking up the pieces of a mess that wasn’t hers. He didn’t have the strength to fight her on it, though, and didn’t have the strength to send her to bed like he should’ve on those nights. He just turned, letting his arms fall over her shoulders and holding on with everything he had.

~~~

tagging: @jerzwriter @cariantha @kyra75 @gutsfics @inlocusmads @lilyoffandoms @choicesficwriterscreations

#jensen valentine #bryce lahela × jensen valentine #bryce lahela #open heart #open heart mc #open heart choices #choices open heart #choices oph #sienna trinh #rafael aveiro #open heart fanfic

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liaromancewriter · 1 month

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Sweet Cravings

Premise: Sienna’s late-night cravings won’t leave her alone.

Book: Open Heart (post series) Pairing: Sienna Trinh x Max Valentine (M!OC) Rating/Category: Teen. Fluff. Words: 785

A/N: Submission for @choicesmonthlychallenge March, dialogue prompt "Is it too late to start over?"

She wanted a cookie, and it was just her luck they were all out.

Sienna Valentine placed her hands on her hips and scowled at the empty shelf in the kitchen pantry. Her brown eyes narrowed in concentration as if she could magically make the box of her favorite brand of cookies appear.

When that didn’t work, she growled in frustration. Literally. The sound resembled a lioness unhappy with her pride. Sienna wouldn’t have made the connection, but she’d just finished watching a documentary about lions on the Animal Channel.

Her pregnancy was far enough along that every little thing annoyed her, from feeling fat and ugly to swollen feet and a lingering ache at the small of her back she could never quite reach. Lately, their little bean had taken to somersaulting in the middle of the night, so sleep was a distant and fond memory.

If she didn’t love Max so much, she’d surely leave him for putting her in this position.

Deciding that nothing would do but make herself the damn cookies, Sienna reached inside the pantry for the baking supplies she always kept at hand. And then stopped when she saw the flour on the lower shelf.

Beetling her brows in frustration, she stared at the canister and then her protruding belly. Lately, bending down was an exercise in patience and rationalizing if the thing she dropped was really worth keeping. She meant to ask Max to move everything to the middle shelf, but it had slipped her mind.

Sienna started to ease herself down, just enough to grab the flour, but her stomach kept getting in the way. Maybe if she…nope, that wouldn’t do. Or she could…. No, that was clearly a bad idea, she thought as she felt a cramp in her thighs.

She huffed in annoyance and threw her hands up in the air, grumbling under her breath about the indignities of being pregnant. As if waddling and peeing every five minutes wasn’t bad enough, now she couldn’t even fill a late-night craving without becoming a contortionist.

“What are you doing?”

She held back a yelp, barely, as she turned around to see Max leaning against the kitchen entrance. Dressed in a tee shirt and sleep pants, messy hair stuck up in spikes, he yawned and rubbed sleep from his eyes.

“Iwantcookiesbutwe’realloutandIcan’tgrabtheflourtobakesomebecausesomeidiotputitonthebottomshelfandmybackhurts,” she whined, the words rushing out in a long, breathless sentence.

She must have surprised him, for his eyes went wide, and he tripped over his feet as he straightened from the wall.

“Why do you need cookies at,” he glanced at the clock on the wall, “two-thirty in the morning?”

“I’m pregnant,” she said in a steely tone, implying he’d better be smart enough not to argue.

Max clearly wasn’t that smart.

“And?”

“And your son won’t let me sleep, and I’m hungry! Any other questions you want to ask the pissed-off pregnant lady?” Sienna challenged, folding her arms under her breasts and raising her chin, eyes fired up.

"Is it too late to start over?" Max said in a conciliatory tone, holding up his hands for emphasis. “I’m sorry for being an idiot.”

He padded cautiously toward her, much like the lion in the documentary. When he was close enough, he reached for her hands and tugged her into his arms.

Sienna wanted to pull away, ride high on indignation, to resist his charms. She really did. But then he started massaging her lower back. And she melted into him, letting him take her weight, a sigh of relief escaping as his clever fingers eased the ache that had settled in the groove above her hips.

“Yes, just like that,” she moaned as his thumb pressed against a particularly stubborn spot.

“I’m pretty sure that’s what you said when I got us into his mess,” Max joked, and she couldn’t help but chuckle.

He was probably right, but she had long suspected that her impulsive seduction of him after a heated argument was the conception point.

“If you’re really craving cookies,” his breath brushed against her ear, “there’s a twenty-four-hour CVS on Dupont.”

Sienna lifted her head off his chest and gazed at him with puppy-dog eyes, smiling cajolingly.

He sighed. “Looks like I’m making a CVS run.”

“My hero!” Sienna gushed, stretching on her toes to kiss the underside of his jaw.

Later, Sienna bit into the gooey chocolate cookie and hummed in pleasure as the flavor exploded on her tongue. She glanced sideways at Max, who had dropped onto the couch and promptly closed his eyes.

She silently chortled. Being pregnant wasn’t so bad as long as she had a hot husband to massage her back and fetch her cookies on demand.

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

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @lady-calypso @mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @justyourusualash @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Max & Sienna only: @aallotarenunelma @storyofmychoices @kyra75

#open heart #open heart fanfics #open heart fanfiction #sienna trinh #sienna trinh x oc #choices fanfics #choices fanfiction #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week #sienna trinh x max valentine #playchoices #open heart choices

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choicesficwriterscreations · 2 months

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Open Heart F/AotW - Feb 19-23, 2024

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

BRYCE LAHELA

Bryce Lahela Fanart 🎨 by @bayleedraws-sometimesx

Bryce Lahela Fanfic ✒️| Bryce Lahela x F!MC - @sunshine-gumdrop

A Dinomite Find ✒️🔹| Bryce Lahela x F!MC - @storyofmychoices

From the Nest to Flying Free (Series) ✒️| Bryce Lahela x F!MC - @dalishessence Chapter 1: Hatchling in the Nest

Rafael Aveiro, Vincent Valentine (M!MC), Bryce Lahela Fanart 🎨🏳️‍🌈 - by @hydn-jpg (C: @griffinsboyfriend)

Sexy and Silly Selfies ✒️| Bryce Lahela x F!MC - @sunshine-gumdrop

ETHAN RAMSEY

Beach Clean Up Date 📱🔹| Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @liaromancewriter

OPEN HEART MC

Green Eyed Girl 📱🔹| Cassie Valentine (F!MC), Max Valentine (M!OC) - @liaromancewriter

Positive Reaction ✒️🏳️‍🌈🔹| Casey MacTavish (F!MC) x Jessica Phillips (F!OC) - @jerzwriter

RAFAEL AVEIRO

Rafael Aveiro, Vincent Valentine (M!MC), Bryce Lahela Fanart 🎨🏳️‍🌈 - by @hydn-jpg (C: @griffinsboyfriend)

SIENNA TRINH

Sienna's Dream Wedding ✒️| Sienna Trinh x OC - @rafasgirl23415

TOBIAS CARRICK

Happy 40th Tobias! Part 1 📱🔹| Tobias Carrick x F!MC, Ethan Ramsey - @jerzwriter

Happy 40th Tobias! Part 2 📱🔹| Tobias Carrick x F!MC - @jerzwriter

Love in the Afternoon✒️🎨🔹| Tobias Carrick x F!MC - art by @liiyaan fic by @storyofmychoices for @jerzwriter

Tobias Carrick x Casey MacTavish (F!MC) Fanart 🎨🔹by @lilyoffandoms for @jerzwriter

MAIN CFWC F/AotW LIST

#playchoices #choices stories you play #open heart #open heart choices #choices open heart #bryce lahela #ethan ramsey #rafael aveiro #sienna trinh #tobias carrick #playchoices fanfic #playchoices fanart #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week #cfwc art of the week

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playchoicesconfessions · 5 months

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Sent by anonymous

‘I love the inevitable friendship of Ethan and Sienna if you romance Ethan in Open Heart ☺️. I love imagining them baking together for mc. And Ethan grumbling when getting something from the cupboards in the roomies apartment, because Sienna has stored everything low down.’

POST/CONFESSIONS DO NOT REFLECT THE MOD’S PERSONAL OPINIONS!

#choices open heart #open heart #choices oph #choices oh #ethan ramsey #sienna trinh #playchoices #choices #choices stories you play #confessions #mod bruffle

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openheartfanfics · 12 days

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Newly Added Fics

Mar 30 - April 5, 2024

Bryce x F!MC

Las hijas de Luna - @peonierose ☁

It’s time for Luna and Bryce to welcome their twins into the world. Will there be any complications? Or will the birth go without a hitch? [Pregnancy]

Yellow Hibiscus in Bloom - @aallotarenunelma ☁

This is Doctor's Day. How will Bryce and Kaisa will celebrate it?

Ethan x F!MC

A Chance Encounter - @cariantha 📚

[mini: wip] Ten years prior to meeting at Edenbrook, Ethan and Sawyer have a chance encounter during spring break. [Young Ethan]

Part 2: The Hook-up

Baby(moon) Planning - @genevievemd 📱

Gen and Ethan plan a trip before the baby arrives.

Stand By Me - @liaromancewriter 🦚

Cassie experiences the downside of having Ethan Ramsey as a mentor.

When life has other plans - @coffeeheartaddict2 📚🛸

[extended: wip] A competition has commenced for the interns at Edenbrook hospital. A horrid first day leads to an unexpected test of a new machine but what is Dr. Ethan Ramsey hiding?

CH 15: DéJà Vu

Ethan x Reader

Picnic - @stanathanxoox ☁

Planning a picnic and making them food even if you’re an amateur cook, in hopes you’ll impress them more.

Sienna x M!OC

Unlikely Adventures - @liaromancewriter 📱

There's only one person who can convince Sienna to take a chance on a life of adventure.

Rafael x F!MC

Moving In - @rafasgirl23415 📚

[extended: wip] Follow up to We Belong Together. Set a few years into the future. Feat. Sienna Trinh x M!OC

CH 29: What Could Have Been - Part 1 [TW: PTSD]

CH 29: What Could Have Been - Part 2 [TW: PTSD]

CH 30: The Back To Work Blues

Tobias x F!MC

Whenever… whatever ✋🏽 - @jerzwriter 📱

After Shakira's freaking ridiculous comments about Barbie, Tobias was not going to be having it, and steps would have to be taken.

With Warning - @jerzwriter 📚

[mini:wip] As the friendship and bond between Casey and Tobias developed, each of her friends had a few things to say to Dr. Carrick.

Part 5: Captain Lahela & a Serving of Common Sense

SUBMIT OPEN HEART FICS & WRITERS HERE

#open heart #open heart fanfics #open heart choices #playchoices #open heart fanfiction #choices fanfics #choices fanfiction #bryce lahela #bryce lahela x mc #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #tobias carrick #rafael aveiro #sienna trinh #sienna trinh x oc #rafael aveiro x mc #tobias carrick x mc #newly added fics

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coffeeheartaddict2 · 5 months

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When life has other plans (3/16)

Enemy Within

Book: Open Heart (AU)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC Casey Valentine

Warnings: language, sexual references

Word count: 4209

Category: Angst

Rating: PG

Summary: the competition is still going and despite sabotage Casey is still maintaining top spot. A study session leads to an idea to hopefully cure a long term patient and the fall out.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Authors note: next few chapters will be angsty fun.

✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️

Casey was back from Miami, spurred on by the knowledge she had acquired there. She was finding it odd that she was having a quiet morning until another resident wanted to know why she was not answering her pages. She looked at her pager and thought it odd, it was on but had not received any pages. Just then Sienna walked by and Casey told her what had been happening. They look at the system and Sienna stated that her pager was marked as off. Casey looked confused . There is a function where you can have it switch on automatically after being off. I utilized this and it was meant to switch back on automatically this morning 2 hours before my shift.

“Well that did not happen.” Stated Sienna as she switched Casey’s pager back on.

“That is odd, there must have been an update. That could have been bad.” Sienna nodded in agreement. The week went on and there was some bizarre instances of charts going missing, a change in medication that was caught before it could have been dangerous for the patient. Despite this Casey was keeping on top of the rankings. Landry was fuming. In his head, there is no way that she should have maintained top spot with files going missing and changes that were made. He knew that she was been favoured, there was no other explanation. He had asked other attendings and residents about his rating and he disbelieved the feedback he had been given. Was Dr Ramsey blackmailing them? Was nepotism that rife that only favourites and family members of the chief no less were being favoured and thus making the competition unfair. He vented his frustration with Jackie. She did not think that Casey was being favoured. She said that Casey gives a damn about her patients,not just the outcome that is why she is on top.

Casey and Ethan continued with their treatment of Naveen and their arrangement. Late nights at work were the hardest. One thing that turned Casey on the most was the breadth of his compassion and knowledge. Ethan had to admit that she was attractive when she was earnestly studying. Naveen knew something was up. Ever since Miami he noted that Ethan had seemed less stressed and much more rested. He presumed it had something to do with Dr Valentine. He had seen a few looks but with how unwell he was, he put it down to that but he asked one day.

“Ethan, my boy. I can’t help but notice how much less stressed you have been…”

Ethan stopped what he was doing.

“I have been a little less stressed…” said Ethan.

“And has young Dr Valentine been the cause of the less stress?” Said Naveen, with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Ethan groans and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Is there any hiding anything from you, Naveen?”

“Well I did think some of the looks I saw were a figment of my imagination but I am glad they were not.”

“Well it is moments like these Naveen that I am glad you are not in the main hospital.”

Naveen chuckles before he starts coughing.

“I better let you go and rest” says Ethan.

Naveen nods and settles back down into the bed. He was lonely here but he knew what he asked. Treatment in secret, he was thankful in a way though, most of all though, he was glad that his mentee had appeared to have found some happiness, albeit with the intern who was leading the competition, what he did know though is that Casey was a very capable doctor, she worked well with Ethan so he knew that she earnt the spot.

A few weeks later Casey once again found her having a lovely chat with Mrs Martinez and being told about all the adventures she wish she could have if it were not for her diagnosis. She really hoped that there was something that could be done. It seemed almost too cruel being stuck in the hospital. Back at the apartment she started researching and got the gang involved. Even though none of them were her doctor’s, they too wanted to see Mrs Martinez happy. The only one who was reluctant was Landry. He stated that she was alive and that she should be happy.

“She is alive, that is true but she resents being stuck in the hospital for her treatment. Surely there is better.?”

Landry was dumbfounded. Surely being alive would be better than being dead. He did agree to help research as it was a puzzle but all the while he was formulating a plan to bring Casey down. Jackie sat next to Landry, she whispered, “again, this is why Casey is on top, she wants the best outcome.”

“How is being alive not a good outcome?” He whispered back.

Jackie shook her head in annoyance, she wondered how Landry could be so dense when it came to not only the physical well being but also the mental well being. Knowledge was good but at the same time people were more than numbers and there was no getting that point across to Landry.

After a couple of hours Bryce came and joined in the session. He had gotten to know Mrs M a little bit too and he wanted to help. As the night went on, the gang started to fall asleep until it was just Casey and Bryce and all of a sudden got excited. He had stumbled onto a forum for disgruntled former Research and Development employees. There was a person on there who used to work for Panacea. Stating that a treatment they had been working on had the potential to cure Rhodes but the funding for it was cut. Casey and researched the data that was given and Casey formulated a plan to get the drug.

Bryce hugged her in celebration then attempted to kiss her, but Casey stopped him.

“I do not see you like that Bryce, I am sorry.” Bryce was understanding for which Casey was thankful. He took his leave and Casey went about presenting her case to Mrs M.

She made her way in and stopped by to see Naveen. He was asleep so Casey let him rest. She was making her way back to the main hospital and she came upon a stressed Ethan.

“I can not get the hospital out of the deal with Panacea.” Said Ethan, “I have sold all that the team stood for out…”

Casey guides Ethan to a deserted closet and kisses him.

“Ethan, you did not sell out, you did whatever it took for your patient.”

“Yes, but at what cost.”

The thoughts of what she read last night come to her mind but she did not tell him. She knew there was a chance that Mrs M could die if what she was planning came to fruition and she did not need Ethan embroiled in it. He kissed her again, hungrily. Both had agreed early on that the hospital was off limits to partake in any physical activity but desperate times called for a bending of that rule. It was quick and intense but it was what was needed. Casey straightened herself up as best she could and made her way out to the hospital. She made her way to a nurses station to get her files for her patients. Landry saw her. He did wonder if she was up to something. For someone who was on top and whom was frustrated with the sabotage she sure seemed relaxed. Maybe if the nursing staff don’t do anything for her he thought to himself. While he was thinking about how to get the nursing staff against her, Casey was having a chat to Mrs M. She told her about the information that she found and the chances of success and failure. Casey had figured that there was a forty percent chance it would fail given the information that was available but Mrs M said you could have told me it had a ninety-nine percent chance of killing me and I would still say yes. Casey went about constructing the email and request for the medication and hoped that it worked.

A few days later, Casey was frustrated. She thought that she got along well enough with the nursing staff but today none of them spoke to her, were rude when she asked for some assistance. Aurora saw what was happening and took pity on her. She knew that Casey had earned her spot, anyone that could beat nepotism deserved to be there. She had heard the malicious gossip that she was sleeping with Dr Ramsey but she knew of Dr Ramsey from her aunt and she knew that no favour would be granted if that gossip was true. She went up to Casey.

“I do not know what has happened but the nurses would not let their issues with you get in the way of patient care.”

“Thank you Aurora, I swear someone has been out to get me since getting back from Miami.”

“I am surprised that I was not targeted when I was on top but then again if my aunt found out…”

“I suppose that they would be expelled.”

“For the record I do not believe the gossip about you and Dr Ramsey but does he know about the sabotage?”

“No,” said Casey, “I have not told him because we know he would get to the bottom and I do not want to give those any more ammo.”

Aurora nods, “I understand the reasoning but if it gets any more serious, you must tell someone.”

Casey thanked Aurora and went on her way.

Meanwhile Ethan was frustrated. The meeting with Panacea was slated for a few days' time. He had hoped that he would get out of not only the meeting but get the hospital out of the deal but he could not. He did not want to betray the confidence of Naveen so he did not state it was illness that was the reason for the deal being made in the first place. What was making him regret the deal more was that he was still no closer to figuring out what was wrong with Naveen.

Casey received the outcome of her request for Mrs M. It was denied. She was disheartened. She presumed because it was a trial technically but then remembered what Bryce said, why market a cure for a disease when the treatment lasts a lifetime?

Casey was then angry, the mental well being of not just Mrs M but other Rhodes Disease sufferers elsewhere was being disregarded for the sheer amount of profit was frustrating. She was aware of the meeting with the hospital brass with Declan and she decided that she would make her own path. She met with the gang at Donahue’s. Casey told them of the predicament and the plan. Landry did not want to be a part of it. Casey said it was his decision. Landry however stayed. He was not going to alert Dr Emery to the plan but he sure as hell was going to tell the family if it all went pear shaped.

Meeting and heist day came. Casey stayed at Ethan’s the night before. The sex as always was fantastic and it did help each other take their minds off their respective problems for just one night but morning came and the what if’s again came to the fore for both. The only difference being is that Ethan had no idea why Casey was troubled. Time came for the heist and each member played their part well. They got the drug and Casey went and gave the dosage to Mrs M. Ethan however did see a briefcase swap and he found it odd. He quickly asked Casey but she said what he does not know will not hurt him. He disagreed, however he had to go and suffer the consequences for the deal with the devil and what he saw would have to wait.

Over the coming days Mrs M condition started to improve. It surprised all of the doctors in the hospital. Casey was relieved that Mrs M appeared to be on the sixty percent working side, she had figured that if it was not going to work it would have done so right away. Meanwhile Landry was fuming. He wanted to see Casey fail and he knew that murdering a patient would get her booted not only from the competition but also the program. Also the loss of license. The thought of that made him excited but it was not happening. He was also annoyed as he was dropping further down the rankings also. She had to be influencing Dr Ramsey somehow and this made him more annoyed as the competition was now even more unfair.

After a week of Mrs M improving and not needing her regular medication she was discharged and ready to start on her travels. The hospital threw her a surprised party with many staff sad to see her go but also happy. Casey was happy most of all because she finally got to do what she wanted to do. She saw her off into the cab. A few days later Casey, among many other staff members received an email and attached was a photo of her standing out the front of Sacre Du Couer. Casey was excited to see it and she was glad that she was able to do what she always wanted. This gave Casey another shot of confidence which again only irked Landry more. All was going well until the news spread about Mrs M. She had passed away in Argentina. Casey was shook. She thought if the treatment was going to fail it would have done so right away. Her friends understood her frustration but they like her were happy that Mrs M got to go out doing something she wanted to do. Landry feigned being sorry for her but on the inside he was ecstatic. His chance to topple Casey had fallen right into his lap. He set up an anonymous email and sent the following.

“To the family of Mrs Martinez,

I am sorry for the loss of your mother but this needless death could have been prevented. An intern named Casey Valentine befriended your mother and took it upon herself to seek alternative treatments. Her research was successful and your mother wished to proceed with the treatment. It was rightfully denied through proper channels but this did not perturb her, illegally gaining the drug and administering it. I do not know if she was aware of the risks, I am aware consent was given but I can not be sure if any undue pressure was put on your mother. When you get the body back into the United States I urge you to get a full autopsy as I am certain this unauthorised treatment was the cause of your mother’s death.

Regards

A concerned physician”

“Fucking Dr Ramsey is not going to save you now, you bitch” Landry said under his breath as he hit send.

Meanwhile, Casey was struggling. The death of Mrs Martinez. She kept second guessing herself and felt guilty for what had happened. She headed to the cafeteria where she happened upon Ethan, who was engrossed in an article. Unable to hold everything in she told Ethan about the study session, the buried test results, telling Mrs M, how she willingly agreed, the refusal through official channels and the heist on the day of the meeting. Ethan listened. He always admired how she put the mental well being of her patients at the forefront of their care. He stated that she did Mrs M a kindness but wish she thought about the implications of her career. Ethan then had a thought as it was becoming clear that he was not going to get Naveen’s results tonight. He takes Casey to the opera. Casey is overwhelmed by the fact that Ethan has a box, he states that he does not use it as much as he would like. The opera tonight is a tragic love story which Ethan narrates for her as it is in Italian. While he is narrating his hand moves up her thigh and to her core. He plays with her clit before slipping one and eventually two fingers inside. Casey bites her own hand as she comes all over his hand. The opera ends and he kisses her. They head back to his apartment. The session is intense, exactly what Casey needed to take her mind off what had happened to Mrs M. It also helped Ethan take his mind off Naveen. The sepsis treatment had appeared to work but now it was not and he was not looking forward to receiving the results back. They have a brief nap before Ethan drops Casey home. They kiss each other goodbye in the car. They were so engrossed that they did not see Dr Olsen walk pass. He did a double take. Ethan Ramsey’s car was not what he was expecting to see but the sight he saw did not surprise him. Them in the front seat, kissing. In that moment the rumours he first heard were true and he knew that the competition was now rigged.

After dropping Casey off, Ethan made his way to the hospital and collected the lab results. He sat in his private office and read the results. He knew they would be bad but what he read was daunting. Naveen had only a month to live. It was a puzzle he had failed to solve. He was sad, angry, helpless. A combination he had not felt since he was eleven years old.

Casey arrived to the hospital and she was greeted with the news that there would be an investigation into the death of Mrs Martinez. She needed Ethan’s guidance as a mentor, not her lover but he could not be there for her, slamming the door on her. He felt bad of course. He read that there would be an investigation but he felt like everything he touched was turning to shit and he did not want to be a hindrance to her. Casey tried her best to carry on but her thoughts were all over the place. WHO had betrayed her? What was now wrong with Naveen? How much longer would she have a job? Casey kept on keeping on, despite being on tenterhooks and now being babysat by Aurora Emery.

The next day came and Ethan was still in a daze of failure. He saw Casey and apologized for his behaviour the day before. He stated that he had some results for Naveen and they were bad and it has thrown him. He asked her to come with him to break the news. Casey agreed. She too was disheartened. She knew how much Ethan had put into it, compromising the team in the process and she knows that she had put in the effort too. They arrived to where Naveen was staying in secret. He saw them holding hands and then he saw the looks on their faces.

“How long have I got?” Asked Naveen.

“I am so sorry Naveen. I, no we thought we could cure you but we can not. From the test results it appears that you have a month at most.”

Naveen was quiet and then said.

“You have not failed me, there are medical mysteries that can not be solved, and I am one of them. I know you put your all into solving this. And Dr Valentine, it has been a pleasure.”

Ethan and Casey leave the room to give Naveen some privacy while he dressed. Casey gave Ethan a hug and he gently kissed the top of her head. They walk out with Naveen through the Atrium, many people shocked to see him and looking so frail. They accompanied Naveen to the bus stop where he said his final farewells. He told Ethan that he had not failed him and told Casey to persist with him, he has never seen Ethan so happy and he did not want to see Ethan get in the way of his own happiness. A bus pulled up and it was the one Naveen needed. They walked back towards the hospital. They stopped and he hugged her before kissing her, gently but deep. Casey was taken aback by such an overt display of affection so close to the hospital, especially given the rumours about her and Ethan. He ends the kiss and they enter the hospital. They are greeted by Harper who asked if it was true that Naveen was here.

“He was but now he has gone,” whilst ripping off his badge, “ and so am I. I quit.” He threw the badge at Harper and stormed away, Casey followed, he looked at her torn, “I am not the doctor you thought I was, what good am I if I can not save the people I give a damn about.” He said clearly emotional. Casey was dumbstruck but he had left before she could get a word out. She then proceeded with her day.

Casey was troubled for the rest of the day and Ethan eventually called her apologising for his conduct. He needed a few days to get his bearings and would be in touch when he was ready. Casey understood and bid him good night.

The next day came, the vibe in the hospital was weird with no Ethan Ramsey yelling at people and also no clue as to what was happening with the competition. Casey also had a very frustrating case that she was working with Aurora. They had ruled out all the external sources and they were baffled. Then Casey had a thought, what if it was something already there, especially since the patient had been on antibiotics. They ran a test and found that the antibiotics had damaged some of the good bacteria and it had turned toxic. There was not much in the way of treatment but to ride it out and a course of probiotics. Aurora was impressed, she congratulated Casey on the solve. She thanked Aurora and also thanked her for not ratting her out to her aunt. Casey made her way to the locker room. The person she was expecting to soo was there.

“It was you, wasn’t it?”

“Of course it was, you killed someone, willingly.”

“She knew the risks, she was willing to take them, even if she had a one in one thousand chance of survival.”

“What, no coercion? You expect me to believe that?”

“Believe what you will but many of the staff who knew her well would agree. She resented being stuck in the hospital.”

“But she was alive, you have deprived a family of their mother.”

“There has to be more to this Landry?”

“Yeah there is, despite everything you are still on top, has spreading your legs for Ethan Ramsey being that advantageous to you?”

Just then Jackie and Sienna walk in, shocked at what they heard.

“There was no advantage in the competition.”

“But you are not denying you have been fucking him.”

“Ok, what the hell is going on?” Asks Jackie.

“It was Landry that ratted me out to the family.”

“Landry, no!” Exclaims Sienna.

Landry was shocked. She knew the group was on board with the heist and the study session but fucking the head of the team they were all competing to be on, where was the line?

“So you are on the side of his harlot?”

“Casey is no Harlot, as I said to you in that study session, Casey cares about her patients, relies on more than just a test result, that is why she is top.”

“But she had files go missing, wrong medications, bad mouthed the nurses…”

“That was you? You son of a…”

“How was not fucking Ramsey being an advantage to you. Despite all of those mistakes you were still on top.”

Just then Aurora walks in.

“If anyone had an unfair advantage it was me, just because of who my aunt is. I knew anyone who could overcome that deserved to be there.”

“No she does not!” Exclaims Landry, “Nepotism and a voracious sexual appetite are what gets you ahead in this competition. How the fuck is that fair?”

“I was working with Casey, when she was not on her game and she still solved a complex case, yes she does, I have heard of some of your failings Dr Olsen, instead of blaming others, why don’t you look at yourself more closely.”

Landry was dumbfounded. Sure he had some things go wrong but it was not his fault surely. What he did know is that he was on the outer permanently.

“I will find somewhere else to stay.” He said before scurrying off. He ran past Elijah who then entered the room. Jackie filled him in on what had just happened. Elijah was shocked. Just then they all received a page. An all hands on deck emergency. The fallout from that confrontation had to wait.

——

Authors note: well she got a little long but I wanted the showdown to be in this chapter and the lead in. Landry is a rat in any universe but you can see some of the digressions from canon, especially with Aurora, I can see her being happy she was not on top as she always thought she was only there because of her aunt and let’s face it, we all know Naveen knew something was up with Ethan and Casey.

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