#ethan ramsey x oc

[alj4890]

Hii 🥰

I saw this picture and thought it might inspire a fic or an edit (no pressure 🥰)

I'm so sorry this took so long to answer @peonierose 🤦🏻‍♀️ I had a lot of Choices couples in mind for this picture 😂 It has taken me a while to think of just the right story for this one and I think I finally have. After seeing Ethan tortured in some of my fics recently, I decided to do a drabble of him and an OC I mentioned in A Glimpse. For this story, we see how these two got together.

(Ethan Ramsey x OC*Sophie Triano) with some urging from (Tobias Carrick x Chris Valentine) in a Choices Open Heart drabble

@hopelessromantic1352 @twinkleallnight @tessa-liam @choicesficwriterscreations @jerzwriter

Rating G for fluff

Masterlist

Something Sweet

"How was Bora Bora?" Ethan asked.

"Perfection itself." Tobias replied. "Chris and I had the best time there."

Ethan studied him. "You don't look very tan for a man who has been on an island for two weeks."

Tobias smirked. "But I do look tan enough for a man who was on a honeymoon with his wife."

Ethan rolled his eyes.

"Where's Chris?"

"Studying with Sienna." Tobias replied.

He eyed Ethan for a moment. Since they were alone, he decided to find out what happened after he and Chris left their wedding reception.

"By the way, how did you get back to the hotel?"

"How do you think?" Ethan replied.

"Who gave you a ride?" Tobias asked.

"Your brother did."

"Which one?"

Ethan stopped trying to complete some paperwork. He leaned back in his chair, set his hands behind his head, and focused silently on Tobias.

"It was Hugh." He finally said. "Why?"

"No reason." Tobias grumbled.

Ethan went back to work.

"If you rode with Hugh, then you must have ridden with Veronica."

"That would be a logical assumption since she is married to your brother." Ethan drily remarked.

Tobias refused to comment on that. "And if you were with Veronica, then you must have met her cousin, Sophie."

Ethan glanced up, eyes narrowed.

"So?" Tobias moved Ethan's laptop to the side. "What did you think of her?"

"She seems nice."

"Nice?" Tobias groaned. "Come on, Ethan."

"Can we get back to work or do you feel the need to bother me a little longer?"

Tobias shook his head. "Sophie is just your type."

"You haven't known my type since college." Ethan pointed out.

Tobias quirked an eyebrow and waited.

Ethan glared at him for the reminder he had fallen for Chris too.

"Sophie looks nothing like her." He bit out.

"I know that, but she has some similar personality traits that I think you'll like."

Tobias decided to drop that brief comparison when Ethan glared bordered on murderous.

"Hugh told me Sophie moved to Boston."

"She moved back to Boston." Ethan corrected, grateful to not be talking anymore about finding a woman like Chris. "Veronica and Sophie are expanding their business. She opened a bakery here a couple of months ago."

"Have you been by yet?"

Ethan rubbed a hand down his face. "I haven't."

He held his hand up to silence Tobias the moment he saw his mouth open.

"If I say I'll go by later this week, will you drop the subject and let me finish what I was typing?"

"I'll drop it for now, but we are discussing it again and again until you go see her." Tobias smirked at him.

"You are a colossal pain in my ass, you know that?" Ethan grumbled. "Go find someone else to bother."

"And leave you alone?" Tobias clucked his tongue in disapproval. "That wouldn't be very-- where are you going?"

"To see Sophie." Ethan snapped. "Right now, I'll do anything to get you to shut up!"

Tobias watched him storm out of the diagnostic office. He then sent a quick text to Chris, letting her know she could come inside.

So far, their plan to help Ethan find someone was off to a great start.

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

"Don't breathe." Sophie whispered to those watching.

She carefully placed the last delicate sugar flower at an angle that defied gravity upon the five tier cake and carefully climbed off her step stool.

"Well?" She beamed at her staff. "What do you think?"

"I think we need to take them off now and store them before one breaks." Her store manager, Terry, declared. "You've got three more cakes to work on this week and the last thing we need is--"

"Ms. Triano!" One of the employees called out. "You have a visitor at the front."

Terry's voice went a higher octave when she began to leave.

"Sophie!" He cried. "The flowers!"

"They'll be fine." She winked at him. "You worry too much."

She chuckled over his look of disbelief.

Sophie couldn't help but be optimistic that all was working like she and Veronica planned. Ever since they were little girls with their Easy Bake ovens, they knew they wanted to open their own bakery one day. With their family's support, the two cousins graduated from the French Culinary Institute and opened up a bakery in New York.

It wasn't long before their cakes were featured in bridal magazines across the globe. Veronica and Sophie entered competitions on Food Network to gain even more exposure. Soon, they had orders years in advance for their baked treats.

They knew they should expand, but what made their cakes so popular, was that they each made every part of it themselves. They had staff to help with the mixing and all, but they were the true cake artists. Everything they designed from sugar blew everyone's mind.

For the first time in ten years, the cousins worked apart. Veronica needed to stay in New York with Hugh's work being there and their children were happy in their current schools. Since Sophie was single with no children of her own, she was the one to volunteer to open another bakery.

She'd wanted to come back to Boston for a while now. Though she thoroughly enjoyed working in New York, there was nothing like being back in her hometown. She needed that sense of comfort as she made all the decisions on her own. She still called Veronica multiple times a day, but this venture rested mostly upon her shoulders.

Sophie straightened her chef's jacket as she crossed into the main bakery. Cases gleamed under Edison bulbs revealing a variety of desserts. Cookies, tarts, pies, scones, cakes, etc. were all on display to tempt everyone who walked through her door. She did a quick visual sweep to make sure everything was up to her high standards before looking for her visitor.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the doctor she'd met at Tobias and Chris's wedding. Of all the people she thought she would see again, Ethan Ramsey seemed the least likely.

It wasn't that he ignored her at the wedding. He even talked to her about her bakery. He simply seemed to be preoccupied with something else.

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

Ethan watched as she made her way over to him. He'd thought she was pretty the night he met her, but seeing her in chef's mode brought a smile to his face. She was in her element and the confidence rolled off of her adding even more to her beauty.

"Hey." She smiled at him. "What are you doing here?"

"You said I could come anytime I wanted something sweet." He spread his arms. "Here I am."

"And just what do you crave, Ethan?" She teased. "Are you a sugary puff kind of man or do you want something bitter?"

"No sugary puffs" He walked over to look at her offerings. "Though I will admit that most of this makes me think a diabetic coma might be worth it."

She laughed. "Follow me, Dr. Ramsey."

His eyebrow raised as he followed her off to a smaller room. There was a table and a set of chairs along with a cooler filled with various drinks.

"Have a seat." Sophie insisted.

She sat down across from him, pulled out a small notebook from her pocket and clicked a pen open.

"Now then." She raised her eyes to his. "Would you mind answering a few questions?"

"For?" He countered.

"To learn all your secrets." She replied.

His eyes widened.

Sophie laughed, shaking her head. "Easy there. I was teasing you. I'm wanting to understand your palette."

Ethan actually flushed.

"Then, yes, go ahead."

"Just say the first word that comes to mind." Sophie told him. "Fruit?"

"Apple."

Sophie wrinkled her nose.

"What's wrong with apples?"

"Nothing. I'm not a big fan of them. I'm more of a berry girl."

Her gaze dropped down to his white doctor's coat. "Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised with you saying apple."

Ethan relaxed in his chair. "They are good for you."

"I'll stick with raspberries."

"I like those too." Ethan added.

"You do?" She set her pen down. "Do you like dark chocolate?

"I do." He replied.

Sophie got to her feet. "Wait here."

She went through a set of double doors and returned with a slice of chocolate cake covered in a dark chocolate ganache.

"Try this." She handed him a fork.

Ethan's eyes widened with the first bite. A medley of the tart raspberry compote with slightly sweet chocolate left him wanting more.

"Good?" She prodded.

"It's incredible." He took another bite. "Best cake I've had in a long time."

She beamed at him. "Talk like that will make you my favorite customer."

He chuckled. "I'm tempted to buy the rest of the cake."

"No need."

She went back through the double doors and before they could shut, she was back with a black box tied with a white bow in her hands.

"You boxed the cake up before I even tried it?"

Sophie nodded a touch proudly. "I knew you would love it."

"How much do I owe you?" He got to his feet, reaching for his wallet.

"It's on the house." She replied.

"Oh." Ethan took the box from her. "Thank you."

Terry stuck his head through the double doors.

"Sophie!" He hissed without looking at Ethan. "The flowers! Carlton bumped the table and gave me a mild heat attack. Get them back into storage!"

Sophie pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'll be right there."

"You have flowers too?" Ethan asked.

"No. I make them." She waved goodbye. "Drop by anytime Dr. Ramsey."

Sophie paused at the door and winked at him. "I might even give you something else you'll love."

Ethan blinked in surprise once she disappeared. He wasn't quite certain how to take her parting words.

He frowned in thought during the drive back to the hospital.

"She meant more desserts." He told himself. "That's all she could have meant."

Once at Edenbrook, he sat in his car a few extra minutes. He eyed the black box and knew why he couldn't stop trying to see hidden meanings in her words and actions. He'd allowed Tobias to get in his head about there possibly being something more with Sophie.

He refused to give it another thought. He was too busy and too intelligent to ponder what women meant when talking to him. Of course, if Sophie did mean it in a flirtatious manner, then he would naturally respond in either a flirty fashion of his own or cold disinterest.

He picked up the box, a hint of a smile on his lips as he thought of her knowing he would love her cake.

If she was interested in him, he might be interested in her to.

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

A couple of days later...

"Any plans for your days off?" Chris asked.

Ethan kept pace with her as they walked towards their patient's room. "I'm going to the ballet Thursday night. They are performing The Sleeping Beauty."

"Oh?" Chris couldn't help but smile. "That sounds awfully romantic."

Ethan softly groaned. He knew what was coming next.

"Do you have anyone in particular you're taking with you?" Chris prodded, trying her best to look innocent.

"Chris." Ethan grumbled.

"Yes?" She was completely unfazed by the way he said her name.

"Tobias is rubbing off on you."

"I do more than rubbing." Tobias remarked from behind them.

Chris swatted him playfully with the file folder in her hand.

"What are we talking about?" Tobias asked, once he was walking along her other side.

"Ethan has a romantic night planned." Chris explained before Ethan could get a word out.

"Really?" Tobias looked over her head at him. "About time."

"I was just about to find out who Ethan invited to share this romantic night at the ballet."

"The ballet." Tobias slipped his arm around Chris when he noticed Ethan's face contort into irritated anger. "Can't set the mood much better than that."

"Enough!" Ethan snapped. "I'm not taking anyone to the ballet!"

"Why not?" Chris stopped him from walking on.

She placed her hands on her hips and backed him into the wall with her narrowed eyes and clipped tone.

"Are you honestly going to stand there and tell me that you are going to spend an evening of dinner and ballet without a date?!"

"I," Ethan hesitated. "Um..."

There was something about Chris's temper that made everyone take a step back. Even he got caught off guard from time to time.

But he wasn't in any mood for it today.

He glared down at her. He decided he wasn't going to be cowed by his former protege.

"I am planning an evening of enjoyment for myself."

Chris threw her hands up in exasperation, almost hitting both Ethan and Tobias in their faces.

"Men!" She grumbled. "Such a waste of bloody oxygen half the time."

Tobias groaned. "Welp, you set her off for the day. No man will be safe."

Ethan winced when Tobias smacked him on the back of the head.

"Don't tell her about your evenings for a party of one." He began to follow his wife. "She won't like it, then I'm the one left to deal with the fallout."

"She shouldn't be interested in what I do." Ethan grumbled.

Tobias shot a frustrated glance filled with pity towards him.

"What?" Ethan demanded.

"Chris cares about you." Tobias reminded him. "Once she calls you her friend, there is no escaping her concern. You know this about her."

Ethan stopped in his tracks. It was strange that it didn't hurt as much anymore thinking about Chris caring about him as nothing more than a friend. After their tumultuous year when she first arrived at Edenbrook, then having to go through seeing her fall in love with Tobias; Ethan was surprised they had survived it all to end up friends.

Maybe he was ready to move on and see what could happen next.

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

He decided he was ready to have a significant other as he ate dinner alone. Going to the ballet without someone there to talk to had lost the allure it once held. He still enjoyed his solitude, especially with the friends he had somehow become stuck with. This evening though would have been perfect for someone special.

As he walked into the Boston Opera House's lobby, he bumped into Sophie.

"Excuse me--Ethan!" She smiled at him. "Hello."

"Sophie," he glanced around to see if she was with a date, "it's good to see you again."

"You too." She too tried to see if he was with someone. "Are you a fan of the theatre arts?"

"I am." He cleared his throat. "Are you here alone?"

"Yes," she rolled her eyes, "I was given the Mcculler's box in thanks for doing a rush job on a cake for one of their parties. I've been looking forward to this night for weeks but couldn't find anyone who wanted to see The Sleeping Beauty with me."

Ethan's lips curved some. "I've rarely found anyone who enjoys coming here as much as I do."

"Where are your seats?" She asked.

"The Mezzanine, center." He replied.

"I don't suppose you'd like to join me instead?" She held up the two tickets she'd been given. "If you're alone, that is."

"I'd love to."

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

Ethan spent most of the ballet studying Sophie. There was something about her that seemed to give a sense of peace that he'd never experienced with anyone else. She was completely still, yet relaxed in her seat. Her eyes followed the movements on the stage while a slight smile graced her lips.

He then took in the rest of her. Sophie's dark chestnut hair cascaded down her shoulders. The white dress she wore was flattering to her figure. His eyes drifted down to her hands loosely clasped in her lap.

She was, he noted, the exact opposite of Chris. He wondered if Tobias had done this on purpose. Unlike the very tall, pale skin, green eyed, red headed Scottish doctor he'd first fallen for, Sophie was of a more average height, caramel colored skin, topped off with a pair of dark brown eyes and hair.

She was striking in her beauty. He realized he hadn't really appreciated that fact the last couple of times he'd seen her. He suspected that getting over his former love had clouded his mind from taking in the lady beside him.

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

Sophie could practically feel Ethan's eyes on her. It took all her strength to remain relaxed in her seat. She couldn't recall the last time a man had studied her so intently. Men hit on her, but no one actually looked at her the way he was doing right now.

She didn't know if it was those piercing blue eyes of his or the type of man he was, but her nerves were notched so high that if he remotely made a move toward her, she'd probably tackle him where he sat.

She thought he was handsome the night she met him. She found him almost cute dressed as a doctor. But something about him in his suit, sitting beside her in the dark, made him almost irresistible.

Veronica told her she needed to get out and date more. Maybe she was right. Sophie had not been with anyone for nearly a year in preparing for the move back to Boston. Most of the men who came into her bakery were already in a relationship. It was rare anyone single came in, much less asked to speak to her.

Since she spent most of her time in the back decorating and supervising, she never had a chance to flirt with any of the few male customers who came in for treats to take to their offices.

Maybe that was why Ethan's attention affected her so strongly. She'd been longing for a relationship and hadn't even known it.

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

The lobby of the Boston Opera House...

"I was thinking about going to get something to eat." Sophie looked up at him. "Any chance you'd care to have a late dinner with me?"

Ethan hesitated.

Sophie immediately regretted asking him.

"I actually ate earlier." He glanced at his watch. "How--"

"No problem." She nervously tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Thanks for sitting with me."

Sophie began to walk away, waving goodbye to him.

"Wait!" He caught up to her. "I was about to ask if you'd rather come to my place for dinner. It's late and most of the restaurants that your dress is meant for will be closing."

"Oh." She couldn't help but smile. "I don't want to put you to any trouble."

"No trouble at all. I enjoy cooking on my nights off." He offered his arm to her. "How did you get here?"

"Taxi." She placed her hand within the bend of his arm.

"Good. Then I can drive you home later."

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

When Ethan pulled up to his apartment building, Sophie's jaw dropped.

"You live here?"

"Yes, why?" He asked.

"Because I live here!" She pointed at the building. "Twelfth floor. Apartment B."

"I'm on the seventeenth." He told her.

Ethan couldn't believe he'd been living in the same building as Sophie all this time yet had never crossed paths with her.

Or had he and he simply hadn't noticed?

"You won't have to worry about driving me home now." She teased.

He smiled at her. "I can still walk you to your door."

Sophie laughed while getting out. "I'd like that."

Once in the elevator, she turned towards him. "Would you mind if I stopped at my place first and changed clothes?"

"No."

"These shoes have to go." She told him.

Sophie grasped his arm to balance as she slipped the painful high heels off.

Ethan watched her with a touch of amusement as she scooped up the pair with a soft curse.

"I won't be long." She told him while stepping out on her floor, casting a warm smile at him over her shoulder.

"Seventeen B." He reminded her.

"I'll be there." She promised.

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

Ethan quickly undressed the moment he shut his door. Tossing the finely made suit jacket and pants into his closet, he next tackled his shirt and tie. He settled on a light blue t-shirt to wear along with a pair of blue jeans. While pulling his pants on, he stumbled cursing into his kitchen to see what ingredients he had on hand for Sophie.

Her knock a couple of minutes later made him steady himself. He paused a moment realizing that he was actually excited about the prospect of getting to know her a little better.

He opened the door to find her casually leaning against the door frame. She'd put on a t-shirt like he had along with a pair of jeans. Sophie held up a bottle of wine with a hesitant smile.

"I wasn't certain what we were going to have, but I can say this is an excellent pinot grigio."

Ethan took the bottle from her, his brow furrowing with what to cook.

"Uh oh." She teased. "Is my choice of wine that bad?"

He looked up at her. "Not at all. I was thinking of what I could pair with it."

"Honestly Ethan," Sophie set her keys on his side table, "I'm up for anything. A simple ham sandwich would be great right now."

He snorted as he led her into his kitchen.

"I think I can do a little better than a ham sandwich."

"Really?" She settled comfortably on one of his bar stools. "Well now I am curious to see your cooking skills in action."

"I doubt they compare to yours." He remarked over his shoulder.

He began to gather the ingredients to make Tuscan chicken.

"Anything's better than mine."

Ethan' eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Sophie, you own a bakery and develop recipes for it on a daily basis."

She waved that off as if it was no big deal.

"The thing is," she confessed, "I can make desserts in my sleep, but savory dishes are where I mess up."

"Are you saying that you--"

"Can't cook." She admitted with a grin. "It baffles everyone I meet. Give me sugar and flour and I'm good, great even. Hand me that chicken and tomatoes and spinach and I'm going to destroy them as soon as I put them into a pan."

Ethan shook his head with a laugh. "I'm the opposite."

"You can't make desserts?"

"Not even pancakes." He explained about the meals he used to cook for him and his father. "Dad would just bring home ice cream or a box of cookies for us to have with our meals. He insisted I never pick up a bag of sugar "

Sophie laughed, feeling more at ease around him.

As the two talked, Ethan went through the prep work with ease. He uncorked the bottle of wine then led her into his living room. The pair sat down somewhat close, angling their bodies toward each other as they continued to talk about their lives.

He discovered that the thirty-three year old was highly intelligent, not just in the culinary world but in other aspects such as business and even history. Her ability to use humor here and there with her stories only added even more to her ability to hold his attention.

After spending so much time at Edenbrook, Ethan had forgotten that people outside of medicine could be a nice change of pace. He also found that she could easily grasp what he was talking about as he described what he did on the diagnostic team. Her questions were well thought out and actually made him pause a time or two to consider the answers.

When dinner was ready, they sat at his table, lights dimmed as they continued learning about the other.

It was, he decided, one of the best meals he'd had in a long time.

"Ethan, that was amazing." Sophie declared.

"Thank you." He got up to take their empty plates.

"I insist on doing the dishes." She took them out of his grasp. "And to make you dessert in thanks for cooking for me."

"There's no need." He followed her to his sink. "Like I told you, it was nice to cook for someone other than myself."

"If you ever need to do so again," she winked at him, "I won't be opposed to you calling me."

"Don't be surprised to hear from me often." He smiled at her, reaching over to finish up the dishes. "Go relax. I know you've been on your feet all day."

Sophie shook her head. "I feel reenergized. I haven't had a home cooked meal since I moved back to Boston. I sponged off Hugh and Veronica's meals once a week in New York along with having a set of restaurants around town to deliver my favorite comfort foods."

Sophie went into his pantry. Her eyes darted here and there as she went through the ingredients he had on hand. After another peek into his fridge, she set out everything to make a quick batch of sugar cookies.

"I see you found the raspberries I picked up earlier today." He teased.

Sophie blinked then remembered their conversation in her bakery.

"I hope I inspired such a wise decision." She quipped.

"You did." He picked up one of the cartons she'd set out. "Want me to clean these for you?"

She nodded while measuring her dry ingredients.

Ethan watched fascinated as she went through everything without having to check a recipe. She moved with a precision he'd only seen in the operating theater at Edenbrook.

"These won't be as pretty as my cookies at work." She explained while dropping spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. "But they'll still taste just as good.

"And what are the raspberries for?" He asked.

"Frosting of course." She smiled at him. "And I'm going to teach you how to make it."

"I believe I told you that sugar and I don't get along in the kitchen." He got up and came around the counter.

"And yet you have powdered sugar in your pantry." She teased.

"That was a mistake." Ethan explained. "The grocery store was out of granulated sugar and for some reason the delivery person assumed powdered could be substituted in its place."

Sophie laughed over the disgruntled expression on his face.

"I bet your coffee hasn't been the same since."

"It hasn't." He grumbled, smiling as he looked at her. "You can take that powdered sugar with you. After tonight, I never want to see it again."

"You'll want it after this lesson." She nudged him with her elbow. "Just imagine the look on your father's face when you present him with a cake or cookie with your homemade frosting."

"That's assuming I can make it or even the pretend cake and cookie you added to this scenario."

"Shh!" She playfully scolded. "You're ruining my future triumph."

"If I learn this," Ethan countered, "then you'll have to let me teach you something next time."

Sophie lowered her head, fighting a huge smile. "Next time, hmm?"

"You'll be learning how to make one of the dishes that you consider your comfort food." He told her.

"And when would this lesson happen?" She prodded, pretending to direct her attention to his food processor.

"I'm off tomorrow." Ethan stepped a little closer to her. "Or if next week at this same time would be better for you..."

"Either works for me." She added some more raspberries to the food processor. "I have tomorrow off too since I'll be working Saturday."

Ethan's voice held a touch of heat when he moved even closer to her.

"Then tomorrow it is."

Sophie could feel her heart race as she looked up at him. Her eyes fluttered closed the moment his lips brushed hers in a soft, tender kiss.

She sank into him the moment the kiss deepened. Her arms wound around his neck, fingers drifting into his hair as he molded her to his body.

The oven's buzzer broke them apart.

"That was a devious way to get out of your cooking lesson." She teased once she removed the cookies from the oven. "I'll have to remember to use it tomorrow night."

Ethan chuckled, moving behind her. He slipped his arms around her waist, placing slow unhurried kisses along her neck.

"We should work on the frosting." She bit back a moan when his hands began to wander.

"Doesn't the butter need to be room temperature?" He muttered against her ear.

"You're right." She turned in his arms, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss that left him moaning.

She ran her hands down the hard planes of his chest, a slight smile curving her lips.

"We have anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour to allow the butter time to reach room temperature."

"I think an hour would be best." He tugged her toward his couch. "Don't you?"

"I do." She gasped when he yanked her into his lap. "Maybe even longer."

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

Two days later...

"What's this?" Tobias gestured to the plate of cookies.

"I did some cooking while off." Ethan told him.

Chris reached over to try one. She made a humming sound of delight.

"These are so good! I love raspberries."

Tobias reached for one. "I didn't know you baked, Ethan."

"I'm learning." He replied with a smirk.

Chris and Tobias shared a loaded glance.

"Is there someone giving you lessons?" Chris asked.

She couldn't help but be hopeful that a certain pastry chef was becoming a part of his life.

"There is." Ethan picked up the case files and smiled at the couple. "Expect a lot more treats like those these next few weeks."

#choices open heart #ethan ramsey x oc #Ethan x Sophie #tobias carrick x f!mc #tobias x chris #picture prompt #ask and replies #choices fic writers creations #open heart fanfics

[jerzwriter]

Reset - Character Profiles: Ethan Ramsey

Ethan charged through the rooms of the tiny apartment. He wanted to escape, he needed to escape... but he wasn't heading in the direction of the only exit, the front door that he now regretted opening with every fiber of his being.

"Ethan, please," she pled tearfully, bordering on hysteria. "If you'd just listen to me...."

"I've listened to you!" he hollered, his face red with rage. "You've been here a half-hour; that's twenty-nine minutes more than you deserve. Now I want you gone!"

"You can't... please... I've been longing to talk to you for over a decade... you can't expect me to just walk away now!"

"I can't... I can't... walk away?!" The irony was too much; he erupted into a sardonic laugh that neighbors heard three doors away. "Walk away? That's what you do! You've wanted... for a decade?" His arms were flailing as he furiously paced his room, then he clenched his hair, tugging it with utter frustration. "Do you know what I've been doing for the past decade? Attempting to fix the damage YOU left behind! I've finally done it! I have my own life now... with people who matter to me... I'm happy... and you show up! No, no... you get the hell out of here and don't ever come back. You have no place in my life anymore."

"But Ethan!"

"You heard him!"

Their heads both turned in the direction of the stern voice that bellowed from the entrance. A young man and woman stood in the doorway; her eyes were wide and frightened, but his were dark and unforgiving. "I've been here less than a minute, and I've already heard him ask you to leave twice. Now I'm asking... that's three times... trust me, you don't want to get to a fourth."

All characters will have somewhat different backgrounds in this universe. Learn more about Ethan's below.

Ethan's background remains largely the same as canon. His childhood seemed normal and rather happy until his mother left without warning when he was twelve. His relationship with his father, Alan, was strained after that. Unable to understand why his mother left, he had only two options: blame himself or blame his father, and he chose to blame them both.

Going away to college provided some respite, but it wasn't until he arrived at Johns Hopkins that Ethan began to come into his own. With the love and support of his girlfriend, Diana, and his best friend, Tobias, he found a place where belonged and finally began to heal. His relationship with his father improved, and the future was looking bright. Until it all erupted.

His mother, Louise, showed up out of the blue, and everything began to spiral. By the time he left Hopkins, he had no girlfriend, no best friend, and his relationship with his father was on rocky ground. The revelation of the reason Louise left and its aftermath left him shaken.

Ethan's serious past relationships were limited to Diana and later Harper Emery, but during his intern year, he befriended a fellow intern named Allie. Ethan was quite smitten with her, but she had only had eyes for an attending with whom she was having an affair. When the affair was revealed, the ramifications were severe, and Allie left the program, and Ethan never heard from her again.

When he met Kaycee, his life is the same as it was in canon. Naveen is his mentor and father figure; Dolores is his friend; and Harper is his friend and ex-on-again-off-again-lover. He is cool and distant with most people but quite warm and affable with the few he lets inside. Kaycee sees this, and she's determined to become one of the latter.

Their connection is almost instant, and Ethan is not as resistant as he is in canon. Their warm affection turns romantic, and he is not opposed to a future together, though he is afraid of Kaycee enduring the same fate as his former friend Allie (even though the circumstances are very different) if their relationship is discovered. Still, he falls in love with Kaycee, and he cannot deny that.

At the end of Kaycee's intern year, several events cause Ethan to make the decision to leave... and he wants Kaycee to hate him... he knows it's the only way she'll go away. That's the last thing he wants, but he has reasons for doing so. The decisions he makes, and the issues they trigger, are the basis of Reset.

#open heart #open heart fanfic #open heart choices #choices open heart #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #ethan ramsey x oc #alternate universe #reset: the series #choices fanfic #playchoices fanfic

[txemrn]

I feel like Tatum would have the best comeback for asshole partners asking for 'the husband stitch'

Oh, anon... the evil laugh I just did when I read this! You know she probably has a book of comebacks. This might not be her absolute best, but I hope this one will give you a smile. Thank you so, so much for the inspiration! 💜

Summary: Tatum is called into Ethan's office to discuss her colorful interaction with a patient's husband.

Word count: ~1120

Warning: Mature audience; language; medical discussion

A/N: Some characters and plot points belong to our friends at Pixelberry; this is not beta'd, so please excuse my errors.

~🖤~

A deafening silence plagues Ethan’s glass-enclosed office. Anxiously tapping his fingers on his wooden desk, the chief of medicine glares first at his watch before staring at the door.  Growing impatient for his next meeting, he rests his elbow on his chair, his fingertips massaging his closed eyes.

Where is she?

The door angrily swings open, the abrupt clatter demanding Ethan's attention. In waddles one of his providers, donned in fuchsia scrubs and a pink and yellow Power Rangers scrub cap. She storms up to Ethan's desk, placing her hands on her hips.

"You wanted to see me?" She huffs.  

Ethan motions to a chair behind her, inviting her to sit down. Raising an eyebrow, she looks at her watch. Letting out an irritating scoff, she flops into the seat and crosses her arms, her eyes locked on the crystal gaze of her boss.

"Dr. Erikson, I–"

"'Dr. Erikson'? Really, Ethan Jonah?" Tatum growls at her husband.

"Dr. Erikson," he enunciates louder, his eyebrows furrowing. "I assume you know why you're here."

Tatum lours. "Oh, please enlighten me, Dr. Ramsey."

"I got a call about a Mr. Flanagan being upset with his wife’s care–"

Tatum blows a raspberry with her lips, rolling her eyes in disbelief.

Ethan takes a moment, staring at his defiant wife before continuing. "Apparently you–" he picks up a notepad with a handwritten list, "--went against the patient’s wishes and you made an inappropriate comment about the husband's–"

Tatum interrupts with a sardonic chuckle. "'Against the patient’s wishes'? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Ethan closes his eyes, exhaling heavily. Hormones, it's just hormones. He sits back in his chair, crossing a leg over his knee before folding his hands together. "Okay… how about you tell me what happened?"

"Gladly," she smirks, her face turning crimson with rage. She stands up, readjusting her snug scrub top before pacing. "That man is an asshole." Ethan stifles his smile, but gestures for her to keep going. "I had mentioned in the clinic that this baby was measuring large for gestational age. I believed–and I was fucking right–her pelvimetry could handle a vaginal delivery, which is exactly what she wanted–and she got. But I told her that I would strongly recommend pain management in the form of an epidural."

Ethan casually shrugs his shoulders. "Okay. So?"

"Well, Mr. Macho's–" Tatum deepens her voice, rolling her shoulders forward to pretend like she has big muscles, "--mother and grandmothers and aunts never needed an epidural, and they were--" Tatum air quotes, "--'weaker than his wife, so that's not an option'."

Ethan bows his head, holding a finger over his mouth to hide his grin. Oh, that poor fucker…

"So, guess who came in 6 cm dilated, crying for an epidural?" Tatum stares at Ethan, giving a told-ya-so grin, nodding sarcastically. "Yeah," she slaps her palm on the desk in anger. "This asshole finally agrees to let her have pain medicine in her IV." 

"Well, what did Mrs. Flanagan want?"

"Oh," Tatum flings her arms in the air, "whatever her douche-y husband wanted." Tatum grows quiet, watching the everyday hospital scramble through Ethan’s office window. "So, of course, the IV pain medicine barely gets her to relax because her labor is progressing rapidly, and it's time to push." She sighs dramatically.

"Out of control?"

"Reagan from The Exorcist had more control," she shakes her head as Ethan purses his lips, trying his best not to laugh. "I did everything in my power to support her perineum; I tried my best to get her to gain control of herself and just," she exhales quickly, her body deflating. "Luckily, she didn't blow out her bottom; that kid was almost 10 pounds with a 15-and-a-half inch head. And virtually no molding."

"Damn."

"Pssh, yeah," she walks back towards the desk. "But still, it wouldn't have been so bad if that dick hadn't prevented her from getting an epidural."  Tatum gingerly lowers herself back into the chair, calming herself down as she cradles her head in her hand.

"Speaking of dicks," Ethan starts, standing from his desk and sauntering to his personal coffee machine. "Mr. Flanagan said you made a comment about his?"

Tatum tosses her head back, roaring with evil laughter. "So, get this," she wiggles herself forward to sit up straight. "While I'm repairing his poor wife's fileted vagina, that asshole dared to ask me to put in a husband stitch." Tatum rolls her eyes, her voice becoming sardonically whiney. "Oh, you're so funny and original, you fucking asswipe!"

Ethan mixes in some hazelnut creamer in with the cup of coffee as he glances back to his frustrated wife. "A what? 'Husband stitch'?"

"You know," she raises an eyebrow, "to supposedly tighten things up." She growls to herself, shaking her head in disgust. 

Ethan nods, remembering the uncouth term. "So, he asks for it, to which you said?"

"I explained to him that his wife's vagina is a perfect and normal postpartum size."

"Tate?"

"And," Tatum guiltily grins, "I simply observed the crotch area of his pants."

"And?"

"And I may have mentioned that... he would need way more than a stitch to accommodate for his small size."

"Tatum Ramsey!" Ethan busts out laughing as she innocently shrugs. He saunters to stand in front of her, leaning up against his desk. "Jesus fucking Christ, woman," he mutters.

"I'm not sorry," she states matter-of-factly.

"Oh, I know you aren't," Ethan chuckles, raising his eyebrows.

"So, what now?" She stands up, placing her hands on her hips. "Am I in trouble? Getting written up? What?"

"Nope, none of that." Tatum gives a curious look to her husband. He stands up, inching closer to her. "I just wanted to hear the story from you," he chuckles, smiling broadly. He slinks an arm endearingly around her shoulders. "Here," he hands her the coffee, "you need this."

She sighs, frowning, "But I've already had my one cup for the day this morning–"

Ethan tenderly places his large hand on her blossoming belly before rubbing it tenderly. "I think this little one is going to be just fine if you have an extra cup today."

"Rams, I–"

"Plus, I'd really like for my child to be born to a mother not locked behind bars." Ethan smirks. "Drink the damn coffee. Doctor's orders."

"You're lucky you're cute," Tatum attempts to scowl, but a thankful grin creeps across her face. She takes a sip of the piping hot cup of Joe and lets out a euphoric moan. "Oh my God, how do women go without a drop of this for nine months?"

Ethan chuckles, pressing his lips to her temple. "Probably the same ones with partners that request a husband stitch."

~🖤~

Tags (new tag list as of 9/26; please let me know if you'd like to be added/removed):

PERMA

@21-wishes @alj4890 @angelasscribbles @ao719 @charlotteg234 @harleybeaumont @issabees @kingliam2019 @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @neotericthemis @nikirennie87 @peonierose @tessa-liam

ALL OPH

@alyshak92 @annfg8 @bisexualdisasteracd @cariantha @lsvdw-blog @mvalentine @ofmischiefandmedicine @rookiemartin @starrystarrytrouble @youlookappropriate

#husband stitch #can you say malpractice #open heart #choices oph #open heart fanfic #open heart fanfiction #choices oph fanfic #ethan ramsey #dr. ethan ramsey #tatum erikson #dr. tatum erikson #ethan x tatum #ethan ramsey x tatum erikson #ethan ramsey x f!oc #ethan ramsey x oc #tathan

[storyofmychoices]

Right Up My Alley

[Ethan Ramsey x Ellie Shepherd Masterlist] [Love & Scotch]

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Ellie Shepherd (F!MC) Others: Alex Spencer (almost Hunt) (Hollywood U), Bryce Lahela Book: Open Heart Rating: General, PictaEdit, silly fluff Word Count: ~350 Prompt: @choicesjuly2022challenge: Social Media ; @choicesficwriterscreations "I've seen that smile before."

Synopsis: Ellie makes an unexpected discovery about Ethan's past.

"What's this?"

"What's what?" 

Ellie fished in the back of his closet, pulling out a black and white collared shirt that caught her eye. "Uh, this."

His eyes widened, jaw-dropping at the discovery.

"Do you bowl? Were you—were you in a bowling league?"

His face fell in his hand, shaking his head to the sides. "I forgot I still had that." 

"I can't even picture it. Ethan Ramsey in a bowling league!"

"It was med school," he offered reluctantly. "A way to relieve stress."

"I don't think I've been bowling since I was like ten at a birthday party." Ellie marveled, staring at the shirt, a wide smile growing across her face. "Med Zeppelin?" She chuckled as she read the team name drawn across the back of the shirt. "I didn't peg you for a Ledhead."

He sighed grudgingly, "Needless to say, I didn't name the team."

"Oh, yeah. How about this? King Pin?" She arched a brow at him, reading the nickname embroidered on the chest. "Really?"

"It was that or Mr. 300, which I must admit was preferable until you score less than 300 and never hear the end of it," he lamented. 

"Really? You bowled a 300! This I've got to see!" 

"It was a long time ago." The corner of his mouth turned up at the memory.

"Doesn't have to be!" She jumped up and held the shirt up to his chest. 

"Ellie."  

"Yes?" A mischievous glint glittered in her eyes as she found the shirt would still fit.

“I’ve seen that smile before—"

"And?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him, feigning innocence.

His gaze narrowed at her. "It means...trouble." 

"No trouble. Just a new way to stay cool and enjoy our day together." She leaned forward on the balls of her feet and pressed a kiss to his cheek. She patted his chest. "We leave in 10 minutes, and yes, you must wear the shirt. I need to see you in your full glory... my sexy King Pin!" With a wink she skipped out of the room, getting ready herself.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading. I was thinking about ways to stay cool and have fun during our heatwave and I had this random idea about going bowling. Then, decided it would be a fun fic for someone and I chose Ethan and Ellie. When I went to make a cover image for the story, I found these perfect pictures and videos of Gandy that fit.

Alex Spencer (Thomas Hunt's fiancee in my Hollywood U au) is friends with Ethan and Ellie as established in my Love & Scotch series which I promise to finish one day.

I also headcanon that Ethan in my AU only has 3 followers on Pictagram: Ellie, Alex, and Thomas Hunt. He denies everyone else.

#ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #oph ethan #open heart #open heart choices #choices #playchoices #ethan oph #ethan ramsey x oc #fan fiction #ellie shepherd #hudson ramsey #ethan x ellie #alex hunt #alex spencer #thomas hunt x mc #love and scotch

[justcallmefox89]

Irressistible Force Paradox: Chapter Three - An Open Heart Fic

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Ethan accuses Rory of the unthinkable and Rory fights his growing attraction to his former medical hero.

September 14th.  5:49 p.m.

Oh hell.

I freeze in place, fear momentarily short-circuiting my brain as Ramsey glares at me.

Do you never go home old man!?

“Rookie, you and I n - ”

“You’re a miracle worker!” Sarah gasps, interrupting Dr. Ramsey. “Do you think she’d take a bottle now? She hasn’t had anything to eat for hours.”

I smile down at Emily.  “I think that’d be just fine.”

Sarah beams at me and rushes towards Emily’s diapers bag while Jason sags against the doorframe in relief.  

“Since Emily is resting now, you and I have some things we need to discuss, Dr. O’Shea.”  Ramsey gives me a stern look and nods towards the hallway.

“Um, actually I had something I wanted to show you, Dr. Ramsey,” I meekly reply, using my free hand to motion him closer.  

“Dr. O’Shea - ”

“Please,” I implore him softly.  “I think it might be important.”

He relents, sighing and stepping closer.  “What is it, Rookie?”

I lower my voice to barely a whisper.  “I noticed when I unlocked my phone to play some music Emily flinched away from the screen, almost like the brightness hurt her eyes.”

“There could be any number of explanations for that.”

“Her reflexes are sluggish, that combined with the fever, the irritability, not eating - ”

“Look, Rookie.”  Ethan puts a hand on my shoulder.  “I can appreciate that you want to help, but all these symptoms can be attributed to the sepsis. You’ve managed to calm her down and I’m sure her parents are grateful, but leave her case to the diagnostics team.”

Insufferable.  Completely, absolutely insufferable.  And gorgeous.  And tall.  And so completely climbable.  I loathe him.

Ramsey’s eyes widen and a small sound of protest leaves his mouth as I grab his hand and gently guide his fingers to the top of Emily’s head.  His face pales as his fingertips brush over the swelling that’s nearly invisible under her dark curls.

“As I was saying, all of those symptoms combined with the severe swelling of her fontanelle, makes me think the sepsis was brought on by a severe case of meningitis,” I murmur.

Ramsey gazes down at me steadily.  “You think?  I’m not going to subject an infant to a spinal tap based on your guess.”

I grit my teeth and inhale deeply.  “I know.  I know this is meningitis.”

“I’m inclined to agree,” he says.  “I’ll page Naveen and call for an anesthesiologist.  Once we confirm, we’ll need to pinpoint what variant of meningitis we’re specifically dealing with.”

“Dr. O’Shea?  I have Emily’s bottle ready.”  Sarah steps forward and takes Emily from me, gently cradling the little girl in her arms and offering her the bottle.

I turn to leave but the sight of a can of formula sticking out of Emily’s diaper bag stops me.

“Sarah?  Has Emily always been formula fed?” I ask.

Her face falls.  “Is that a problem?  I was never able to produce enough milk for her, so we had to formula feed.”

“No, not at all,” I hurriedly reassure her.  “As long as our girl gets fed, that’s all that matters.”

“What are you thinking, Rookie?” Ramsey whispers, his warm breath ghosting over my ear.

A pleasant shiver runs through me, and I almost start to lean into him, my traitorous body reacting to his close proximity.

Get it together.

“Bacterial meningitis caused by cronobacter sakazakii.” I murmur, tilting my head towards the formula can.  

Ramsey’s eyes widen.  “My god,” he whispers.  “Stay here and update the parents.  I’m getting the rest of the team.”

Not thinking, I reach out and grab his arm before he can walk away. He must be able to see the panic on my face because he takes my hand in his and squeezes it once.   “You can do this, Rookie.  Walk them through your theory and what’s going to happen next. I’ll be back soon.”  

10:30 p.m.

Through the window of the hospital room I watch Emily rest, an IV inserted in the crook of her tiny arm.  Jason and Sarah doze fitfully in armchairs positioned next to her crib.  Emily is sleeping soundly, her face no longer flushed with a fever; a sure sign the intravenous antibiotics are working.  My shift ended three hours ago, but I can’t bring myself to leave, worried that the minute I walk out of the hospital something awful will happen.

“What are you still doing here, Rookie?”

“Could ask you the same thing, Dr. Ramsey,” I reply, my eyes never leaving Emily’s sleeping form.

“This isn’t even your case.”  A hard edge creeps into Ramsey’s voice.  

“Are you saying I should only care about the patients that I’m assigned to?”  

Ramsey sighs, scratching at the thick stubble on his jaw.  “Of course not.  A good doctor will care about every patient that walks through those doors, whether they’re assigned to them or not.  But I’m not convinced anything you did this afternoon was because you cared about the patient.”

I turn to face him and cross my arms over my chest, scowling.  “Excuse me?”

“You think any other physician here would have let you get away with that little stunt you pulled this afternoon?”  Ramsey steps closer, towering over me, and I fight the urge to back away from him.

“If you hadn’t made that solve I would have had your job, Rookie,” he continues, his voice low and dark.  “Attention-seeking stunts like that won’t land you a spot on the diagnostics team, so if you ever even think about doing something like this again you will be out on your ass.”

I blink, momentarily stunned into silence.  “You think I helped Emily just to get noticed by the diagnostics team?” I finally manage to ask, unable to keep a note of hurt out of my voice.

Ramsey rolls his eyes.  “I see it every year, ambitious interns who think that if they pull off an impressive solve -”

“You think I would use a sick child to further my career?” I seethe, drawing myself up to my full five feet four inches.  I move closer, invading his personal space and jabbing a finger into his muscled chest.  “I was waiting for test results on the one case I had, so I offered to sit with Emily so Jason and Sarah could get some rest.”

His handsome face shifts into a disdainful sneer.  “So you abandoned your own patient to help mine.”

“I was partnered with Dr. Landry on that case, and he had no issues proceeding on his own for an hour or two while I assisted Jason and Sara.  I’m surprised you don’t remember that since you went out of your way to try and humiliate him when we presented earlier today,” I hiss.

Ramsey has the good grace to momentarily look abashed, and he breaks eye contact with me as his cheeks flush a faint pink.  He clears his throat.  “Now that you have mentioned it I do seem to recall -”

“I didn’t do this to get noticed by the diagnostics team,” I continue, poking him again.  “I did it because I saw a pair of scared, first time parents falling apart because their baby was sick and inconsolable.  I did it because that family needed help.”

Ramsey catches my hand in his, sending a pleasant thrill through me, and gently pulls it away from his chest.  “I may have been hasty in my initial assessment of your motivations,” he says slowly.

I rip my hand away from him, cradling it against my chest. “Don’t ever fucking touch me again.”

I turn and hurry down the hallway, trying to ignore the way my body responded to Ramsey’s touch, and how much his accusation had hurt.

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

September 17.  9:30 p.m.

“Shit.  Shit, shit, shit!” I mutter, sitting on the floor behind the intake desk and looking through the lost and found box.  I’d spent the whole day moving into a new apartment and the last thing I want to be doing is searching for my I.D. badge, but if I don’t have it tomorrow morning it will be just one more excuse for Ramsey to get on my case.  And after our last encounter outside Emily’s hospital room, I’ve been avoiding him at all costs.  I eventually find it among the sea of tangled lanyards and other bits and bobs that my fellow doctors have misplaced.

I shove the box back into place and start to stand up, wincing as the blood flows back into my lower legs.  I immediately crouch back down as raised voices carry down the corridor and draw nearer to the waiting area.  I peek over the edge of the desk, watching Ramsey throw his hands up in the air and scowl at Dr. Banerji.

“You can’t do this, Naveen!  I won’t let you!” Ramsey shouts, angrily running his hands through his hair as he paces back and forth.

“It must be done, Ethan,” Dr. Banerji says placidly.  “Not everything is in your control.  It’s time you finally learned that.”

“You are not my teacher anymore!”

Naveen gently smiles at him.  “I am always your teacher.”

“Goddamnit Naveen!”  I involuntarily gasp as Ramsey slams his fist into the wall.  Dr. Banerji sighs softly before walking away, Ramsey staring miserably after him.

What.  The. Fuck.

Faced with the choice of hiding here until Ramsey overcomes whatever internal crisis he’s going through or facing him directly… I decide to nut up. I slowly emerge from my hiding space without him noticing me.  I strongly consider just sneaking away, but then I notice the blood.  I wage a brief internal battle before making my choice.

“Dr. Ramsey?” I call out softly.

He whirls around to face me, eyes wide.  Once he recognizes me his eyes narrow and he scowls.  “Spying on me, Dr. O’Shea?”

“It’s adorable that you think I’d waste my very limited free time on you,” I snark back.

“How much did you see?” he asks, clenching his jaw.

My god, that jawline…  Focus, Rory!

I shrug.  “Enough.”

“If you speak a word about this to anyone -”

“You’re bleeding,” I interrupt.

He stares down at his hand in confusion.  “I didn’t realize…”

“Come on,” I sigh.  “Let’s get it taken care of.”

Ramsey’s shoulders stiffen.  “I am perfectly capable of -”

I roll my eyes.  “Do not fear Dr. Ramsey, even I, a lowly intern, know how to patch up busted knuckles. Just let me help.”

He refuses to move, so I grab onto the end of his tie and gently tug him towards an empty patient room.  Too shocked to protest, he obediently follows me.  Once we’re in the room I shut the door to prevent any prying eyes, and direct him to sit on the edge of the hospitable bed while I glove up and gather all the necessary items.  I sit next to him and tentatively take his hand, surprised by just how much larger it is than mine.  

“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask, soaking a gauze pad in saline solution and dabbing away the drying blood on Ramsey’s knuckles.

“No,” he says tersely, refusing to look at me.

“Ok,” I murmur, focusing my attention on my work.  Some of my hair falls out of my ponytail and into my eyes. “Damn.”

“Let me.”  Ramsey’s voice is rough and there’s a slight hitch in his breathing.  He extends his uninjured hand, pausing just short of touching me.  I tilt my head up, allowing him to move the loose hair out of my eyes.  His fingertips brush against the shell of my ear, lightly trailing over the curve of my jaw as he withdraws his hand; the scrap of his calloused skin against my light five o’clock shadow causes a pleasant shiver to run through me.  

I peer up at him over the rims over my glasses.  “Thank you,” I whisper, suddenly feeling nervous.

He doesn’t reply as his blue eyes rove over me, taking in every detail. “Why are you doing this?” he finally asks.

I shake my head, breaking the temporary spell he had seemingly cast over me.  “You hurt yourself,” I say, annoyed at how breathless I sound.  I snap my eyes back down to his hand, gently dabbing antiseptic cream over his cuts.

He laughs softly, the sound dark and seductive in the close quarters of the small hospital room.  “I’m fairly sure I could have managed a band-aid or two, Rookie.”

I shake my head, biting my lower lip as I concentrate on precisely placing steri-strips over his broken skin.  “I don’t know,” I finally mutter.

“You’re so different from the others,” Ramsey whispers, almost to himself.

I snap my gloves off and gather up my trash, depositing it in the appropriate disposal bins under Ramsey’s intense gaze.   “I need to go, Dr. Ramsey.  My roommates are -”

The words stutter in my chest as Ramsey stands up and catches one of my hands in his.  “I owe you an apology.”

My brain short circuits at the feel of his fingertips caressing my palm, a barely there sensation that instantly makes me wonder what that touch would feel like on other parts of my body.  “W-what?” I stammer.

“For accusing you of using Emily’s case to further your career,” he clarifies.  “It was an unfair assumption on my part, and I apologize.”

Just like that the spell is broken, the mere mention of his accusation enough infuriate me all over again.  Glaring, I jerk away from him, resolutely ignoring the faint pang of disappointment that thrums through my body as I do.  “You can take your apology and shove it up - ”

“Rookie.”  The word is a growled warning, and Ramsey has gone from contrite to furious.

“Have a nice night, Dr. Ramsey,” I say venomously as I leave the hospital room, rubbing my palm against my thigh, wishing I could erase the feeling of his touch.

#open heart #open heart fanfiction #OPH #oph2 #open heart fanfic #open heart mc #pb open heart #open heart ethan #open heart choices #open heart male oc #open heart male mc #open heart pixelberry #choices #pb choices #choices fanfic #choices game #pixelberry choices #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x oc #ethan ramsey x mc #ethan ramsey x male mc #ethan x mc

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Do you think we'll be together in another universe?

I think I'll miss you forever (summertime sadness) Like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky (summertime summertime sadness) Later's better than never (summertime summertime sadness) Even if you're gone, I'm gonna drive (drive), drive I got that summertime, summertime sadness Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness Got that summertime, summertime sadness Kiss me hard before you go Summertime sadness I just wanted you to know That baby you the best

Fanart Credits Respectively: frostkitsuneart (VK) & The_mandywalker (Instagram)

#if you thought I would shut up about them you're unfortunately wrong 🤷🏽‍♀️ they EXUDE the same energy #playchoices #romance club #kali call of darkness #open heart #chandini ramakrishnan oc #amala khan #cute prompts #gabriel grant #ethan ramsey #amala x gabriel #ethan & chandini #ethan ramsey x mc #spotify #fic ideas #fave fanart tag 🖼️ #lana del rey #arctic monkeys #mir falls in love <3

[genevievemd]

Cheers to the New Year

A/N: Happy New Year peanuts! May the new year be everything you want it to be!

In the SaraVerse, 2024 brings not only Kaili Lahela in just a few weeks but also Lizzie Ramsey in August! Of course Gen is only a few weeks currently, and still a secret until after Valentine’s Day but still 🥰

There’s a few other things 2024 brings for the saraverse for the other characters too, some good some bad. If you want to know more feel free to ask!

#ethan ramsey x mc #ethan x mc #open heart #ethan ramsey #Bryce x oc #bryce lahela #pictagram #ethan x gen #Bryce x nat

[openheartfanfics]

Newly Added Fics

Mar 30 - April 5, 2024  

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

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

[liaromancewriter]

Public & Private

Premise: Three public moments captured on Picta burn up private chats.

Book: Open Heart (post series) Pairings: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine); Sienna Trinh x M!OC (Max Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. Fluff Format: Text & Pic Fic

A/N: Submission for @choicesseptemberchallenge2023 Day 14 prompt "picture"

Part 1: Cassie

Part 2: Sienna

Part 3: Max

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @doriopenheart @genevievemd @headoverheelsforramsey @lucy-268 @jamespotterthefirst @jerzwriter @lady-calypso @mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @rookiemartin @socalwriterbee @takemyopenheart @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics @midnightmelodiz

Ethan & Cassie only: @cariantha @custaroonie @hopelessromantic1352 @mrs-ramsey @youlookappropriate

Max & Sienna only: @aallotarenunelma @storyofmychoices @kyra75

#open heart #ethan ramsey #choices fic writers creations #open heart choices #ethan ramsey x mc #sienna trinh #open heart fanfics #open heart fanfiction #choices fanfics #choices fanfiction #sienna trinh x oc #sienna trinh x max valentine #ethan ramsey x cassie valentine

[alwaysmychoices]

Screaming at a Reflection

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

Chapter 39 of the “with and without” series

Previous Series: “a weekend with dr. ramsey”

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

Words: 4.7k

Rating: Teen (language)

Also available on AO3 & Wattpad (link in Masterlist)

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

It had been two weeks.

Two weeks without Charlie in his bed.

And two weeks without a proper night’s sleep.

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

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

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

Everything was a fucking marathon, especially sleeping.

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

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

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

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

Naveen reflexively gasped, “You look horrible.”

“Thanks,” Ethan mumbled.

“Did you go home?”

“Yes.”

“And shower?”

Ethan rolled his eyes, “Yes.”

“And sleep?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“And that’s new?”

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

“I’m teaching them. That’s my job.”

“Is that what you call it?”

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

“Before, your anger was about the medicine.”

“It’s still about the medicine.”

Naveen cast a dubious stare.

Another silence.

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

“Are you alright, Ethan?”

“Yes.”

“Have you spoken to Charlie?”

Ethan bristled, and Naveen’s heart sank.

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

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

Ethan frowned, “She’s my resident.”

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

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

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

Accepting the small victory, Naveen smiled.

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

“Unfortunately not,” Naveen frowned.

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

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

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

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

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

“Dr. Carrick intends to stay.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I tried,” Naveen offered diplomatically.

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

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

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

“It’s her career, Ethan.”

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

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

“It isn’t our choice to make.”

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

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

“They were,” Ethan interjected.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ethan found Charlie easily.

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

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

She felt his presence before he said a word.

But he made it known nonetheless.

“What the fuck?” Ethan greeted abruptly.

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

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

“Charlotte,” Ethan seethed.

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

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

“I did.”

“Why the hell would you do that?”

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

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

“That’s not why.”

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

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

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

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

Ethan’s chest squeezed.

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

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

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

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

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

“I’m going, Ethan.”

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

“Excuse me?” Charlie repeated incredulously.

“You can’t go.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I already tried. She’s going.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“She would listen to you.”

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

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

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

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

“I tried.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I don’t think she should go.”

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

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

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

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

But Ethan said none of that.

He didn’t know how.

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

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

Sienna paused. A long, thoughtful pause.

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

“I told her to go,” Sienna confessed.

Ethan’s head shot up.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ethan: Don’t go.

Nothing.

More of nothing.

Finally, the message turned to read.

Then three dots that she was typing.

Charlie: . . .

Then, the dots disappeared, and nothing followed.

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

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

This wasn’t right.

This wasn’t how things ended.

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

He could be the mistake.

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

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

But he wouldn’t cost her this career.

He wouldn’t take that from her.

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

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

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

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

A stand-off neither wanted yet neither could avoid.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I know how to get her to stay.”

“How?” Naveen furrowed his brow.

“I leave first.”

#choices #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #ethan ramsey x charlie greene #ethan ramsey fanfic #choices fanfic #open heart #open heart fanfic #charlie greene #romance #fanfic #fanfiction #oc

[amortentiaopenheart]

Meet my LI

Meet: Dr. Ethan Ramsey

Full name: Dr. Ethan Jonah Ramsey

Nicknames: Eddy (Dad), E (Catherine)

Age: 30

Birthday: 19/02/1993

Ethnicity: British

Birthplace: Exeter, United Kingdom

Hometown: Exeter (born and raised till age 15) | London (till age 20) | Baltimore (till age 24) | Boston (current)

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 68 kg

Appearance: Tall, muscular, athletic build

Education: Exeter School | King's College London | John Hopkins Medical School

Profession: Diagnostician, Internal Medicine | Junior Fellow on The Diagnostics Team at Edenbrook Hospital (former) | Head of The Diagnostics Team at Edenbrook (former) | Chief of Medicine (present)

Personality: INTJ

Love interest: Catherine Annabelle Valentine (Engaged) | Harper Emery (Edenbrook- intern and resident years) | Victoria Jameson (Med school, JHU)

Marital status: Engaged

Face claim: David James Gandy

Family: Louise Addison Ramsey (Mother- baker- estranged) | Alan Greyson Ramsey (Father- cable repairman) | Jenner Ramsey (Retriever)

___________

Facts:

Only child

Loves cooking. Specialises in Italian/French/Japanese/Indonesian/Chinese/Indian/Thai/Korean/Turkish cuisine

Did a double internship at UNICEF and WHO

Favourite word: euthymia

Favourite colours: Green, black

Aesthetic: Light and dark academia

Hates social media with a burning passion

Sherlock Holmes, Neuromancer, The Broken Earth and Jules Verne works clutter his bookshelves

Likes listening to medical podcasts while cooking

Favourite movie- Terminator (surprise, surprise)

Likes squishmallows and soft toys

Likes opera and classical music

Plays the piano and the flute

Bilingual- English, Italian

Early bird

Loves sunrises

Loves mountains and forests

Begrudgingly uses a public Pictagram account because of Catherine's persuasiveness

Secretly, he's a cat person as well

_____________

@choicesficwriterscreations

#ethan x mc #ethan ramsey #open heart #ethan ramsey x mc #choices #jamespotterthefirst #open heart choices #choices fic writers creations #ethan ramsey x catherine #dr ethan ramsey #dr catherine valentine #ethan ramsey x catherine valentine #ethan x catherine valentine #ethan x catherine #meet my mc #meet my ocs #meet my characters

[alj4890]

The Apology

(Ethan Ramsey x OC*Sophie Triano) on a Choices Open Heart drabble

Thirty Kisses in Thirty Days Challenge with the prompt: kissing the tears that roll down your lover's cheeks

@hopelessromantic1352 @twinkleallnight @tessa-liam @choicesficwriterscreations @choices-readerandlover @annfg8 @jerzwriter @trappedinfanfiction @coffeeheartaddict2

Rating: G for angsty fluff

Thanks for the request @annfg8 😊 Here's some angst that turns sweet.

Masterlist

They weren't certain over what triggered it, but whatever it was shocked Ethan and Sophie. Perhaps it was their recent schedules. Maybe it was because Ethan had lost a patient before he could figure out what was wrong with her. It could have been the fact that Sophie had to work an extra sixteen hours on an eight tier wedding cake because one of her assistants dropped it.

Who knew why they ended up having a fight? It simply happened and there had been no stopping it.

The harsh words, the snide remarks, the yelling; it was colossal. Neither was known to go that far when angry, yet something about the moment made them each the perfect target to unload all their frustrations.

When Sophie slammed her door in Ethan's face, the seriousness of it all struck him. Unable to get her to open the door again, he stormed the few floors up to his own apartment.

Throwing his keys across the room, he poured himself a needed drink and settled in his recliner. He narrowed his eyes at the night sky, contemplating the fact that relationships could be a huge pain in his ass.

No wonder he remained single for so long. The drama was exhausting. It was a waste of energy that he could use towards something productive. Anything would be more productive than what he'd just gone through.

He took a big gulp of his scotch, dropping his head back against the leather cushion.

Perhaps it was all for the best that Sophie had kicked him out. They'd probably end up making the situation worse if they'd tried to talk it over.

His frown deepened as he thought of the possibility of ending things with her. In the heat of the moment, he thought it might be best. He almost suggested it. After all, they'd been so busy lately that they were often playing catch up rather than simply being together.

He then thought about how she normally made him feel. He actually liked the relaxed version of himself she seemed to bring out. Maybe that was why this fight hit harder than those in his past. Sophie made him pause to think about whether or not their relationship was what he originally thought it was.

Ethan knew it wasn't unusual for couples to fight. He'd even witnessed Tobias and Chris tie up a time or two. He'd gone through his own arguments when with Chris, Harper, and other women of his past. This wasn't really anything new.

He got up and poured himself another drink. Something though about this particular fight hit him where it hurt. That had to be why he struck back with his words so quickly. So easily. So hurtful.

Her face...

Ethan downed his second glass in three quick gulps as the image of Sophie's face came to mind. Though furious with him, there was no disguising the pain she felt with each lash of his tongue. The very mouth he used to bring Sophie pleasure, compliment her, softly soothe her was used as a weapon against her.

He was ashamed that a man his age had allowed things to go that far. He could blame it on being tired and upset over work, but he knew from the beginning of the fight what he was doing. Instead, he didn't bother to hold back.

And now look at me, he thought. I made the person I truly care about cry.

He knew it was more than simply caring for her. Sophie was becoming the most important person in his life. The thought of losing her was unacceptable.

He bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't know what to do. He knew he should apologize, but should he go now or let her sleep it off?

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

Sophie was furious. The fact that Ethan had left without apologizing made her want to follow him upstairs to his apartment and scream at him some more. How dare he even think he could talk to her like that and simply leave as if he had the right?

She went about her kitchen, slamming drawers and cabinets to try to rid herself of this residual anger. She jerked her refrigerator open to search for a bottle of vodka she'd put in there and stilled at the sight of the containers of dinner he'd made her.

Her bottom lip began to tremble as tears filled her eyes. How could she have talked to him like that? He was a good man. She knew this about Ethan. Why had she insulted him? Called him names? Why had she purposely tried to make him even more angry?

She shut the fridge door and pressed her forehead against it. Her shoulders shook as she began to cry. The thought of losing him was breaking her heart.

She missed him. She hated that their schedules had been so difficult to work around. But even the rare few hours together was worth it. He made her happy, happier than she'd been in a long time.

Then why did she act like some crazy banshee, screeching at him over the stupidest things? She couldn't even remember what set her off or even what the fight was about. It wasn't his fault she was exhausted from work or completely frazzled with keeping up with all her new orders.

She missed having Veronica to depend on. Anytime Sophie needed a break, she knew she could take it without worry because her cousin would easily pick up the slack and keep their business booming. Now that she was on her own, she allowed the pressure to nearly consume her.

And what had she done next? Took it out on the one man she was falling so hard for.

She should have never invited him over tonight. She knew she wasn't in the best mood to begin with. And yet, she hoped that maybe she'd get in a better one simply by being near him.

That backfired horribly, she thought as she stumbled into her bedroom. She collapsed face down on her bed and continued to cry into her pillows.

Are we going to break up?

She'd been tempted to. In the heat of the moment she was ready to tell him to screw off and never darken her door again. But she held back. Even now, the thought of never seeing Ethan Ramsey again hurt worse than their fight did.

She knew she was falling in love with him. Everything about their relationship seemed so easy. This fight coming out of nowhere had actually made her doubt whether or not they should even try and work things out.

And honestly, that scared her and made her more determined than ever to make things right.

Should I call him or wait until he reaches out to me? Maybe I should let things cool off for a while before trying to talk to him.

Clutching one of her bed pillows to her chest, Sophie cried herself to sleep.

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

Ethan called in and took a personal day off of work. After the restless night thinking about Sophie, he knew he wouldn't be of use to any patient that walked through Edenbrook's door.

He was determined, after much soul searching, to do all he could to keep her in his life.

He dressed with care, picking the color blue she usually complimented him wearing. He then called her bakery and asked to speak to her.

"She's not coming in today." Terry told him. "She called this morning and said she needed the day to herself."

Ethan knew their fight must be the cause of her not going into work. He wondered if she was at home.

Nervous about talking to her on the phone, he sent a quick text asking if he could come over later or if she would be willing to come to his apartment.

He watched the ellipsis bounce as he anxiously waited to read her response.

He realized he was holding his breath when her message appeared, agreeing to come over to his place around noon.

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

Sophie went through numerous outfit changes. She didn't know what to wear, only that she wanted Ethan to think she looked pretty. She settled on a black outfit since it matched the current mood she was in, or at least the mood she knew she could wind up in if things did not work out.

She felt more nervous walking up to his apartment than she ever had before. Each step she took tempted her into turning around and going back to her apartment.

When she arrived at his door, she hesitated to knock. She could already feel her tears building. The last thing she needed right now was to fall apart before he'd even said a word.

Taking a deep breath, she softly knocked on his door.

It swung open quicker than she thought possible. Sophie kept her eyes averted from Ethan's.

"Hi." She said, clearing her throat. "You wanted to see me?"

Ethan stepped back to let her in.

"Yes, I did." He motioned for her to sit down.

She sat on the far end of his couch.

He grimaced slightly at that. From the moment they first got together, she'd always chosen to sit near him.

He sat on the opposite end and angled his body towards her. His eyes traced her profile. Gone was her warm smile she seemed to always have at the ready for him. She still had yet to look at him directly. Even now, she kept her eyes on his floor.

"Sophie?" He swallowed nervously. "I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean anything I said. I don't know what happened. All I can do is apologize."

She glanced at him. Her throat convulsed some as she tried to keep from crying.

"Oh."

She blinked a few times to try to stop her tears, yet failed miserably.

"I'm..." Her voice cracked. "I'm sorry too."

Ethan moved across the couch until he had her in his arms. His lips crashed against hers.

She clutched him close, kissing him back in relief while tears trailed down her cheeks.

Ethan pressed his lips to her cheek, softly kissing the tears away. He whispered again how sorry he was as he moved to do the same to her other cheek.

Sophie bit down on her trembling bottom lip in an attempt to calm down. Her voice was hoarse as she tried to take the blame for the fight.

"It was my fault." He told her gently cupping her face.

"It was mine too." She argued, pressing another kiss against his lips. "I've been tired and cranky and--"

He silenced her with a deep kiss.

"Next time, we need to be honest with each other." His lips continued to caress hers as he spoke. "I'll warn you when I'm in a bad mood."

"I'll try and do the same." Her eyelashes fluttered closed when his tongue slipped between her lips.

She moaned as he pulled her into his lap, never breaking their heated kiss.

Ethan realized as he began to caress her that her tears had stopped falling.

#thirty kisses in thirty days #choices open heart fan fic #ethan ramsey x oc #ethan x sophie #dr. ethan ramsey

[jerzwriter]

Reset - Character Profiles: Chloe Daniels

The house was nearly silent as Chloe made final preparations for her trip. She had yet to experience the relief that normally filled her as she checked off the boxes on her to-do list, but she wasn't anxious either. Perhaps it was because this was becoming old hat; this was to be her fourth tour, after all, and she knew what to expect. At least, that's what she told herself.

She looked at her watch; her plane was taking off in just six hours. Six hours until she could escape to where the only thing that mattered was her work. Where she was as anonymous as one of the billions of trees that surrounded her. It was the only place she felt at peace. She was just shy of thirty-two years of age, and she had accomplished more than those who were twice her age. Still, it seemed to impress no one, at least no one that mattered.

With her education, her ability, her pedigree, and, if God hadn't smiled upon her enough, her beauty was at least as incomparable as her mind. Of course, she excels, people would say; she's had every possible advantage. Why wouldn't she?

Chloe pretended not to hear the chatter. She made a conscious choice not to focus on the words, though each one was etched in her mind. At thirty-two, she had already managed to create a legendary career... but she had no idea how to create a life.

"You know, you don't have to go," a voice said softly. "You don't have to do this."

Chloe turned to her step-sister Jenna with a half smile. "I don't have to do what, exactly? My job?"

Jenna's arms crossed in front of her chest. A knowing-looking reminded her sister she could pull this off with most, but not with her.

"Cut the crap, Chloe. You can do your job here, in Durham. You could do your job in LA or New York City if Durham is not your thing. Hell, the CDC would gobble you up in a second... you don't have to head off to parts unknown again to make a difference. You have nothing to prove, Chloe."

Now it was Chloe's turn to serve a knowing look in the form of an irritated smirk.

"Come on, Jenna... the hell I don't."

All characters will have somewhat different backgrounds in this universe. Learn more about Chloe's below.

Since Dr. Chole Daniels is an OC, some basic background.

Full Name: Chloe Alexandra Daniels

Her Family: Chloe was the only daughter of Dr. Richard Daniels, a world-renowned epidemiologist, and his late wife, Camillia Koval Daniels. Camillia died from p.vivax malaria when Chloe was nine years old. Her father remarried her stepmother, Anna Caradis when Chloe was twelve. Anna was a widow and had one child, Jenna Caradis, who is Chloe's only sibling.

Her Past: Chloe's father worked in the field for the WHO and other organizations. His innovative work in the field of epidemiology earned him awards, recognition, and prestige. His first wife, Chloe's mother, was a nurse who traveled with him. While Chloe's family healed from various parts of North Carolina, she spent her childhood moving from location to location, most of them remote, to support her parent's work. Her mother came down with p. vivax malaria, and complications that arose from it caused her death. Her father fell into a deep depression, knowing he had saved the lives of countless people, but could not save his own wife.

He met Anna at a fundraiser the following year. Both widows, they bonded, and Anna helped bring Richard back to life, and she brought joy to Chloe as well. The family somewhat settled in Durham, where Dr. Daniels accepted a position at Duke, but they still relocated on occasion for shorter periods of time. It was a happy time, but short-lived. When Chloe was 16 and Jenna was 12, Anna died suddenly of an aneurysm. After that, the family of three remained in Durham.

Richard loves Chloe very much, but he always puts very big expectations on her shoulders. He loved Jenna as his own but never expected her to live up to the standards he set for Chloe. The two girls were very close, but Chloe was often hurt by the nature of her father's relationship with Jenna, and that led to her wanting to escape. She attended Cornell University for her undergrad and then Columbia School of Medicine, but she spent a good portion of those years traveling to different regions of the world.

Before she even completed her residency at Columbia Presbyterian in NYC, she was already involved in groundbreaking research and sought after major hospitals and universities worldwide. Yet, she chose to work in the field for the WHO more often than not.

When we meet her, she has been working at Duke for 6 months after returning from a tour in the Amazon. But she was unhappy and resigned to accept another assignment in the rainforest. Her relationship with her father is strained as his expectations remain sky-high, and while he is very proud of her successes, he doesn't let her see it... always inquiring about what's next. Meanwhile, Jenna is a dressmaker in Durham. She's very successful at what she does, but Richard lauds her with compliments, leaving Chloe feeling hurt.

Romantically, Chloe has tended to be hurt more often than not. Although, the erratic nature of her life has made long-term friendships and relationships challenging. She did fall in love with a surgeon, Nasim Khan, while she was in NYC, and they enjoyed a loving three-year relationship. When he started talking about rings and a future, Chloe panicked and accepted a position with the WHO. They did not end things when she left, but the distance proved to be too much of a challenge, and they broke it off two months into her assignment.

Chloe's happiest when she's working in the field; it is what she knows, but it is also an escape from reality and provides her with a cover for not laying down roots.

She is a strong, determined leader who earns the respect of others through her knowledge and fairness. She can be quite funny, but it's often to hide scars. She is warm and friendly, but she becomes very nervous when she gets too close to people in any type of relationship.

#open heart #open heart fanfic #open heart choices #choices open heart #chloe daniels #oc #ethan ramsey x oc #alternate universe #reset: the series #choices fanfic #playchoices fanfic

[txemrn]

Hii 🥰

I saw this picture for Valentine’s Day and thought maybe it’ll inspire a fic or an edit (no pressure 🥰)

Thank you so much, @peonierose , for this pic prompt for Valentine's Day! I kinda sorta broke the rules... as usual... lol what I wrote is more than likely NOT what you had in mind when you sent me this pic. 🙈 And also, this story happens on Valentine's Day, but it would be a stretch to call this a Valentine's Day fic. Either way, hey! New story! Thanks again for the inspiration! Enjoy! 💚

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x f!OC (Tatum Erikson-Ramsey); relationship implied, but limited interaction in this fic; they have been married for 4 years at this point

Summary: After receiving horrible life-changing news from the hospital's lab report, Tatum is overcome with worry with having to be the bearer of bad news to the couple. In her poor attempts to cope, she turns to a decadent treat.

Word Count: ~2475

Warning: Mature themes; angst; depiction of dysfunctional eating; a few curse words; mentions of pregnancy and delivery

A/N: Some of the characters and plot belong to our friends at Pixelberry; this was not beta'd, please excuse any errors

~🖤~

Looking at the STAT result of the ordered lab test, a cold chill crawls down Tatum’s spine. The thunder of her heartbeat rings in her ears as her chest begins to heave.  With her vision growing hazy, she quickly shoves her phone into the pocket of her white coat, turning to hastily leave the crowded nurse's station.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Dr. E–”  Wanda stops in her tracks, her friendly gaze shifting into worry.  She recognizes the agony crashing across Tatum’s features. “Uh…Dr. Erikson, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she waves, giving a cordial smile; but Tatum can feel the color draining from her face. She cradles her abdomen as bile teases the back of her throat.  This can’t be happening.

She hated this part: having to deliver bad, life-altering news to happy couples–especially when they're not expecting it, especially when they are living their best lives, especially when it would force them to make unimaginable decisions that could possibly haunt them forever. 

This news is hitting her hard; she is already devastated for them.

Fresh air. I need fresh air.

“I’ll be back in twenty,” she hurries past the nurse's station.

“But Mrs. Simpson is 8 centimeters,” Wanda calls out after Tatum, her hands on her hips with a shocked expression.

“I’ll be back in time,” Tatum reassures, heading for the door. “I promise.”

Her power walk turns into a run as she enters the emergency stairwell. She bolts down the five flights until she reaches the door on the bottom level that leads outside to the ambulance bays for the emergency department. A burning gurgle rises in her chest as a sour pang reaches her jaw as she swings open the door. Clenching to her stomach, she stumbles to a nearby bush and vomits. 

Taking a moment, she hovers over the green shrubs to drink in the chilly Boston air as it soothes her clammy skin. She wishes she could indulge in something to take the edge off of her nerves, like a Xanax or alcohol, but those weren’t an option. 

You’re fine, she inhales deeply. Everything’s going to be fine. You're an expert at this.

Feeling the nausea die down, she adjusts the snug fit of her scrub top before quickly retreating back into the hospital. A shiver ignites goosebumps across her body as she power-walks to the staff elevator. But something catches her eye as she passes the hospital’s gift shop: a refrigerated display case, filled with flowers and decadent cakes. 

And suddenly, her stomach growls.

“Good morning, Mrs. Ramsey.”

“Good morning, Ms. Edna.” Edna Blakenship is an 82-year-old volunteer that works in the gift shop on Tuesdays. Tatum loved getting coffee from her; she was hilarious and still quite sharp for her age. Plus she would pray to Saint Raphael, the patron saint of healing, for healthcare workers that stopped by to visit her. Tatum isn't particularly religious, but Edna's kind sentiments and positive energy always made for a great day at work. And today, she needed all the good vibes for this news.

Tatum also loved how Edna loved Ethan, treating him like the son she never had… and the mother he deserved.  She is one of the few people that can make Ethan smile with his rare, but genuinely beautiful, toothy grin.  She is also the only one in the hospital that calls Tatum by her married name; ‘Mrs. Ramsey.’ ‘The name people call you should serve as a reminder of who you are. Family comes first, my dear; then career.”

Tatum chews on her lip, pulling down her snug shirt again as the old woman’s words course through her memories. Family comes first…

“Are you thinking about getting a sweet treat for your husband for Valentine’s Day?” Edna notices the obstetrician staring at the cakes in the glass case. "You know? We got an order of these boozy dark truffles–" she grabs the box opening it up for Tatum to see. "I know Ethan would enjoy them."

The pungent odor of woodsy hops mixed with dark cocoa stings her senses, shooting an offsetting churn of uneasiness to Tatum's belly.

“Um…” Tatum nonchalantly covers her nose, feeling the back of her cheeks salivate what felt like acid. "You are so sweet to offer–" she swallows thickly, turning away from the unwelcoming odor before she hurls. "I already got him something, but, um–" she retreats frantically, stopping to look at the different cakes. "I need to get something for my nurses working today, and I was thinking a cake would be perfect. Which one would you recommend?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” she smiles mischievously. “I’d get the lemon sponge with raspberry buttercream. It has a raspberry compote filling inside.” She points to the top of the cabinet. “See that? It’s three layers, plenty for you and all of your staff to enjoy.”

Tatum’s mouth begins to water at the sight of the beautifully designed cake, complete with fresh raspberries and roses on top. The uneasiness of her anxious stomach is replaced by hunger as it comes to life, rumbling as an unexplainable need to taste the cake overwhelms her. “I’ll take it.”

Edna boxed the cake, slipping it delicately into a bag before finishing the transaction with Tatum. “Come here, dear.” The old woman steps out from behind the register, taking Tatum’s hand before bowing her head to pray.

“Thanks, Ms. Edna,” Tatum breathes a sigh of relief, “I could really use St. Raphael’s guidance today.”

“Oh,” she giggles, “I didn’t pray to him. For you, we need St. Gerard to intercede.”

"St. Gerard?" Tatum gives a curious look. “What’s he the patron saint of?”

Edna smiles kindly, a knowing glint in her eye before turning back to her counter. “Have a good rest of your shift, Mrs. Ramsey.”

Tatum eyes her suspiciously, raising an eyebrow. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, she pulls her white coat closed around her body before taking her purchase and heading back to the labor and delivery floor.

To her relief, the laboring patient was not ready to deliver upon her return to the unit.  She checked in with the nurses before heading to the physician’s lounge to clean herself up from getting sick. 

Her phone pings; looking at the alert, her mind is brought back to the present and the difficult conversation she is going to have later. This would surely be one of the hardest reports she has ever delivered, and once again, her thoughts begin to spiral.

She sets the cake down on a table, preparing to take it out to the nurses. But the decadent scent of the citrus and berries kindle a voracious desire in her that seems to quiet her anxiety.

Just one bite.

Tatum steals a raspberry from the top, a dab of the buttercream frosting clinging to the side of it, and pops it into her mouth. 

Oh. My. God.

Tatum’s eyes roll back into her head, the sweet taste satisfying her craving. Sorta. Suddenly, she needs more. She digs into one of the kitchen drawers and pulls out a knife and a fork. She cuts herself a small sliver.

The girls wouldn’t mind a small piece missing. Shoot, they don't even know there's a cake for them yet.

Licking the frosting off of her fork, she begins to plan out how she needs to deliver the bad news. In person would be better. Should she call or send a message that she needs to them meet in person?

She cut herself another piece, not wasting anytime before digging into the moist layers. Her mouth hums in delight as the sweetness relieves her uncharacteristic and unnerving appetite for something sugary.

Call. Definitely call, but could she keep herself calm and collect? She'd hate to strike panic before she can spill the truth.

She cuts a third piece. 

She would practice what to say.

A fourth piece.

As Tatum’s mind swirls, her thoughts begin to play every what-if scenario in her head.  Would there be tears? Screaming? Anger? Hurtful words? Would she be blamed for this?

She pulls the cake box closer to herself, eating straight from the container. Swipe after swipe of her fork, she engorges herself, sometimes swallowing before chewing, making way for the next bite. Unable to be tamed, unable to be satiated. Chaotic. Madness.

Until suddenly, her fork drops, clanging carelessly against the table.

A twinge of pain bores into Tatum’s head while queasiness sloshes in her stomach. She looks down at the cake box. 

And freezes.

Save for a few morsels and swipes of icing, it was gone. 

Before she can make sense of what just happened, the sugar rush of consuming an entire cake crashes into her body all at once. Her eyes refuse to focus, rolling back into her head. She wraps her arms around her bloated belly, her shirt now pulling uncomfortably tight across her midsection. She unbuttons her pants before laying her head on the cool metal table, moaning in agony.

“Dr. Erikson, we’re going to start pushing–” Wanda freezes after seeing a pitifully wilted Tatum with the remnants of the dessert next to her head; some of the cake was haphazardly smashed across her face while other chunks clung to her blonde hair. “Um...” Wanda shuts the door for privacy.  “I know it’s none of my business,” she quietly starts, “but…”

“Oh God, Wanda!” Tatum moans tearfully, interrupted by a hiccup, then a burp. “You don’t want to know.”

The seasoned nurse cautiously walks over to the physician, taking a seat. “Try me,” she playfully challenged, “I’m a good listener, and I can guarantee you I’m better than that insulin-resistance you're trying to achieve,” she chuckles.  Tatum slowly lifts her head off the table, cradling her forehead in her hands. Wanda gently rubs her back as they sit for a moment in silence. “C’mon, baby, it can’t be that bad.”

Tears sting the backs of Tatum’s eyes as she looks to Wanda. “I’m just… so stressed and-and overwhelmed. I don't think… I don't think I can do this..”

“Do what, baby–?”

Tatum quickly covers her mouth in a panic as a greenish-gray hue spreads across her skin. “I’m gon–I’m gonna–” Wanda grabs a large trashcan, placing it underneath Tatum while collecting the strands of her blonde hair to hold it back. Tatum grips onto the sides of the can, her knuckles blanching to white as she begins to wretch again and again.

Finally, the urge dissipates as Tatum lays her arm along the rim of the basket before resting her sweaty head on her wrist. Wanda grabs a nearby washcloth, dampening it with cool water. She presses it to Tatum’s skin as she sits down next to her.

“Sweetheart,” Wanda starts, combing her fingers through Tatum’s damp tresses. “You and I both know you can’t cope with stress like this. Now, I don’t know what’s going on, and I know–I know–what you’re going to think. But this is coming from an old, decrepit woman, you hear?” This earns a pained chuckle from Tatum. “Stress and worry? It’s part of life, and it makes it hard, unbearable at times. The burden is hard in our line of work–I know. Believe me, I know. But if you haven’t noticed by now, each problem that we come across in life… it doesn’t last forever. It has its own lesson for us to grow from, and then before you know it, the season is over.” 

“I just–” Tatum sits up, dabbing at the wetness in her eyes. “--I don’t even know how I’m going to go about this.”

“You’re not supposed to know how,” Wanda’s lip curls as she begins to wash the cake residue from Tatum’s mouth. “We don’t go through hard times because we are experts at it. If you already knew what to do, you wouldn’t think it was so hard, now would you?”

“Dr. Erikson, we’re starting to see head.”

Tatum nods as the delivery nurse exits the room as quickly as she entered. Still feeling queasy, Tatum slumps back in her chair, laying her head back with her eyes closed. She arches her back, stretching in hope to create more room from her binge.

“Well, I better head back out there, but think about what I said, baby, and–” she winks at Tatum as her tone turns lighthearted, “no more cake.”

A rage of nausea ravages through Tatum’s abdomen at the mention of the word ‘cake’. “Noted,” she holds her fist to her mouth as gas bubbles retreat to her mouth, the richness of the taste of sugar uncomfortably unappetizing. She clears her throat. “Wanda?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“Do you know who St. Gerard is?”

The older woman snickers. “You’re an obstetrician, and you don’t know?” Wanda pulls out a chain from around her neck, revealing a silver charm of the saint.  “He’s the patron saint of childbirth and pregnant women and mothers. Why?”

“N-no reason.”

With the door closing, Tatum swiftly throws the cake box into the receptacle. Standing up slowly to maintain her balance, she shuffles slowly to retrieve from her locker a bottle of Pepto, her second one to nurse this week.

Her phone pings again. Another text from Ethan. She had ignored his message earlier. She isn't sure if it was her nerves, her overdose of sugar or maybe a mixture of both, but her trembling hands fumble to even reply.  Rather than respond now, she leaves her husband’s message unopened, clicking out of the messaging app. 

And there it is again. The last page she had pulled up on her screen before she spiraled into this nightmare.  And the test result stares strangely back at her.

hCG                137,000 IU/L

Tatum's thumb traces over each letter and number, ensuring she is reading the lab value correctly. Damnit.

She walks into the physician's private showering area to splash cool water from the sink on her face. She pats dry her skin, then turns on her heel to attend the delivery, but not before she catches her reflection in a full length mirror.

Tatum notices she forgot to button her scrub bottoms. As she lifts up her shirt, she can't help, but take in the surreal sight: it’s there. It really is there. She gently glides her hand over her lower abdomen, feeling the tiniest swell of a belly. 

Her now confirmed pregnant belly.

"Dr. Erikson. We need you for delivery."

“Coming!” Tatum manages to fasten the button to her pants before shimmying down her scrub top. Giving herself one last look over, a strange spur of confidence hits her. And she pulls out her phone to contact Ethan, but before she fires off a quick text, letting him know she needed to talk him, she quickly reads his earlier messages.

And she gasps.

Ethan: We need to talk.

Ethan: I saw Edna today.

~🖤~

Thank you so much for your support! Every like, comment and reblog means the world to me! 🖤

~🖤~

Tags (please let me know if you wish to be added/removed)

PERMA

@alj4890 @ao719 @charlotteg234 @issabees @kat-tia801 @kingliam2019 @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @neotericthemis @nikirennie87 @peonierose @socalwriterbee @tessa-liam

ALL OPH

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#open heart #choices open heart #choices oph #ethan ramsey #dr. ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x f!oc #ethan ramsey x oc #ethan x tatum #tatum erikson #choices fanfic #choices fanfiction

[storyofmychoices]

Father and Son

[Ethan Ramsey x Ellie Shepherd Masterlist]

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Ellie Shepherd (F!MC) Book: Open Heart (future) Rating: general, fluff—Father's Day Word Count: <600 Prompt: @choicesmonthlychallengejune2022 : Father

Synopsis: Ethan enjoys a quiet moment with his son.

Soon the glimmer of the bright stars would dim. The glow of dawn would break on the horizon, lighting the sky in its warm glow, birthing the promise of a new day. The world would wake. People would go about their days. The good. The bad. And everything in between. 

If he could stop the world. To pause time. To hold onto this moment. To keep Hudson safe like this forever. He would. But the world waits for no one. Not even a father and son.

The corner of Ethan's mouth curled up. His eyes glowed in admiration as he watched Hudson's chest steadily rise and fall with every breath. The soft sounds of his slumber filled the quiet room—a beautiful melody just for him. The pad of his fingertip stroked tenderly across his sleeping son's hand, reassuring him, reminding him he'd never be alone.

How had six months passed already? He marveled. It felt like just yesterday they were bringing him home. He was so tiny then, just 6lb 8oz. How could he have grown so much? 

Hudson's tiny hand clasped onto his father's finger, pulling him from his thoughts.

Ethan's chest warmed at the innocence on his son's face—that peaceful smile that let him know he was okay. While the Earth kept spinning, disasters of one kind or another touched all parts of the globe. Yet, Hudson knew none of it. The world was simple to him. All he knew was love. Ethan wished he could shield Hudson, to keep him safe, to protect him always, so that this—this peace and safety would be all he ever knew. But Ethan knew the world didn't work like that. Pain. Heartbreak. Loss. Regret. Shame. Fear. They're all inevitable. He couldn't stop them no matter how much he wished he could. All he could hope to do was be there for his son. To be whatever Hudson needed him to be. To support and encourage him day in and day out. But mostly, to remind him that no matter what, he would never be alone and would always have a father who loved him unconditionally. 

His eyes misted over, tears pooling in the corners. Ethan hadn't known it was possible to feel like this—to feel such love that no matter how bad a day was or how stressful work was, just watching his son sleep kept his worries at bay. Knowing his son was safe brought a peace he never knew. There was nothing he wouldn't go through to get him back to his son—back to his whole world.

Ellie slipped in beside her husband, taking care not to startle him or wake Hudson. "Hi."

"Good morning," he whispered, his gaze never leaving Hudson.

Her eyes widened in adoration, watching the tranquil bliss on Ethan's face. It was a beautiful sight and only made her fall more in love with him every day. He was everything she could have ever hoped to find in a husband, lover, best friend, and father of her child. The magnitude of his love for her and Hudson knew no bounds. She rested her head on his arm, letting the moment linger. "Happy first Father's Day."

His arm wrapped around her, guiding her closer. He pressed a kiss on the crown of her head. "Thank you. I—" He shook his head. No words would convey the gratitude he felt for having the two of them in his life. "Just—thank you."

Ellie nodded her understanding, leaning further into him. Soon Hudson would wake, and their busy day would begin, but until then, this was all there was. And this was more than enough. This was everything.

A/N: I know it's super late but I really wanted to try to write something for my major pairings for Father's Day. I hope you enjoy this. I haven't really written Ethan in forever, but wanted to include him and his sweet baby boy, Hudson.

Tags in a reblog. As always, please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed. I understand.

Thank you to anyone who read this. I appreciate you giving it a chance.

To see the other Father’s Day drabbles click below:

Bryce Lahela: 1st Father’s Day

Levi Schuler: Me and My Guy dance

Mal Volari: Adopted Father + Son

Thomas Hunt: Third Father's Day

#ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #oph ethan #open heart #open heart choices #choices #playchoices #ethan oph #ethan ramsey x oc #fan fiction #ellie shepherd #hudson ramsey #ethan x ellie

[justcallmefox89]

Irresistible Force Paradox: Chapter Four - An Open Heart Fic

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Rory and Ethan team up for a rescue mission, and Sienna offers some advice when Rory’s uncertainties threaten to overwhelm him.

September 18.  11:00 a.m.

“Have you heard anything else about Banerji retiring?” Jackie asks as we both collect some charts from the nurses’ station.

I shake my head.  “Nothing.”

“What you do thin-”  Her pager beeps, interrupting her, and she impatiently checks it.  “Duty calls.  See you later, Rory.”

“Later, skater!” I call after her.  I gather up my charts, preparing to follow Jackie’s example and get to work, when I hear Dr. Ramsey’s familiar shouting.  I wander over to a nearby room and park myself near the door, attempting to look engrossed in my charts.  The door is cracked open, allowing me to hear every word.

“This is preposterous, Harper!  They’re not ready.”

I risk peeking through the blinds and see Ramsey and Chief Emery standing close together, talking in hushed tones.

Standing very close together.  Interesting.

“Ethan…” Chief Emery murmurs, delicately placing her hand against Ramsey’s cheek.

My eyebrows creep up towards my hairline.

My, oh my.

Cursing my nosy nature, I creep a little closer to the door.

“I’m not asking you, Ethan.  I’m telling you,” she continues.

“What else is new?” Ramsey snaps.  “I know this is your hospital now.  Your call.  But I’m warning you… I’ll fight you every step of the way on this.”

“What else is new?”  Chief Emery laughs lightly as she asks the question, lingering just long enough to flash Ramsey a triumphant smile and brush a soft kiss against his cheek before she walks away.

I assume a casual pose against the wall and pretend to studiously examine one of my charts as their footsteps grow closer.  Chief Emery breezes by, not giving me a second glance, and I slowly breathe a sigh of relief –

“Were you eavesdropping?”

Goddamnit.

Dr. Ramsey towers over me, arms crossed, looking furious.

Sometimes the best defense is a good offense.

I lift my shoulders in a casual shrug.  “Can it really be considered eavesdropping if I could hear you shouting out here in the hall?”

He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose, letting out an irritated huff.  “I don’t have time for this.  Let’s just get on with our lives shall we?”

I stick my tongue out at his back as he impatiently stalks past me.

“Hey there, Doc!”

I turn around and see Bryce wheeling Kyra down the hall on a bed. “Hey gorgeous!  I haven’t seen you since the surgical interns stole you away.”

Bryce smirks at me.  “You say ‘stole’; I say, ‘rightfully took a surgical case’.”

“Hang on, two hot doctors fighting over me?  Did the cancer get me, because this feels like a ‘died and gone to heaven’…” Kyra pretends to swoon back onto her pillow.

“You have a very morbid sense of humor, Kyra.”  I grin.  “I like it. So… is your surgery soon?”

“It’s right now,” Bryce answers.  “A lobectomy, assisted by yours truly.”

“Your having a lobe of your lung removed today?”  A wave of unexplainable dread washes over me.  

Kyra shrugs.  “It happened kinda fast after the C.T. results came back.  But if the last thing I see before I die is your face, well… there are worse ways to go.”

I force myself to smile.  “Well, if on the off chance you do see a bright light, I’m going to need you to picture this face and turn the hell around.”

She playfully rolls her eyes.  “I guess it’ll be harder to die knowing I have a friend cheering me on.”

“Hey, what did we say about all the death talk?”  Bryce nudges her shoulder.

“Sorry, boss.  I’ll start planning for retirement.”

“Good.  Sorry, Dr. O’Shea, but I have to get Ms. Santana to the O.R.”

I grab Bryce, pulling him just out of Kyra’s earshot.  “Take care of her, Bryce.  Please.”

He smirks.  “She couldn’t be in better hands.  I know you haven’t had the full experience yet, but seriously, my hands are incredible.”

I try to look stern, despite the blush I can feel creeping over my cheeks.  “I mean it, Bryce.”

“Hey.”  He steps a little closer, laying his hand against the side of my neck.  He gently strokes his thumb against my pulse point, and smiles at me reassuringly.  “I’m only assisting, but Dr. Zimmerman is an amazing surgeon.  Kyra will be golden.  We’ll bring her back safe.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. “Thanks, Lahela.”

He gives me one last smile and returns to Kyra, wheeling her off to surgery. From the bed, Kyra waves goodbye.  I return to the wave, trying to ignore the fear that burrows itself into my heart like a shard of ice.  

“O’Shea!”  Zaid voice shocks me out of my stupor.  “What are you standing around for?  Get down to the E.R. and see if they need any new patients admitted!”

“Sir, yes, sir!”  I give him a little salute and scurry down to the emergency room.  Aurora’s already there when I arrive, surrounded by a group of senior doctors and looking annoyed, as usual.

“I have a patient with chromodoridids if you’d like to assist.  Blue sweat, it’s pretty cool -” one attending begins.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Aurora curtly interrupts her.

Another attending sidles up to her.  “Dr. Emery, hi!  I brought you a cappuccino -”

“I drink tea.”

I like cappuccino.

Aurora strides away from them, heading my way with a cold look on her face.

“Hey, Aurora!  What’s up your butt?” I greet her.

“Funny.  That’s what I had to ask my last patient.”  She gazes off into the distance, a horrified look on her face. “It was a model train.”

I can’t hold back my snicker.  

She glares at me.  “I’m glad one of us finds it amusing.”

The snickering is threatening to evolved into full blown laughter.  “Ok… but like… why?  And how?”

It quickly becomes clear Aurora has no intention of sating my curiosity.

“You’re no fun,” I mutter.  I glance around the E.R.  “It’s pretty quiet down here today, that’s great!”

“What are you even talking about?  There are no good cases.”

I shrug, smiling.  “And that means fewer people are seriously sick.  That’s a win in my book.”

Aurora stares at me as if I’ve grown a second head.  

I sigh in defeat.  “If you’re so desperate for a cool case, why didn’t you go with that attending?”

For just a moment she look as if she might answer me, but in the end she just scowls.  “Super not interested in explaining myself to you.”

The wail of a siren interrupts my response.  Aurora and I exchange a look and sprint to the ambulance dock, reaching it just as the ambulance backs in.  The doors fly open, and a muscular, brunette paramedic climbs out, helping the nurses unload and unconscious woman in an oxygen mask.  

“Delores Hudson, office fire,” the paramedic reports.  “Her coworkers evacuated in time, but she’s pregnant and couldn’t move fast enough.”

“Did she suffer any burns?” I ask, already doing a visual examination.

“She didn’t encounter the flames, just the smoke.  She panicked and got stuck in an upstairs bathroom.”

“How are the vitals?” Aurora asks.

“Elevated B.P., but she and the baby both have strong heartbeats. Pretty serious smoke inhalation, though. Hopefully I got them out in time to avoid any permanent damage.”

For the second time that day my eyebrows race towards my hairline. “You got them out?  Where were the firefighters?”

The paramedic smiles sheepishly.  “We beat the fire department to the scene.  I heard her screaming, so I broke in and carried her out.”

“We’ll get her admitted and into a bed,” a nurse interjects. “Dr. O’Shea, Dr. Emery, which of you is taking this?”

“Smoke inhalation?  It’s all yours.”  Aurora waves a hand dismissively.  “I’ll wait for something interesting.”

“I’ll take it.  I’ll be right up,” I tell the nurse.

I linger behind with the paramedic while Aurora departs and the nurse wheel Delores to the elevator.

I covertly study him while trying to think of something interesting to say.  “So… you ran into a raging inferno to save a pregnant woman?”

Fantastic, Rory.  Pure brilliance.

He tilts his head to the side in confusion.  “Well, yeah.  Wouldn’t you?”

I laugh softly.  “Hate to break it to you Superman, but I’m more of a Lois Lane.”

He chuckles along with me.  “You’re a doctor.  I’m sure you wouldn’t hesitate.  I haven’t seen you around Edenbrook.  Are you new?”

“I’m Dr. O’Shea.  It’s my first week.”

He offers his hand and I shake it, allowing my hand to remain in his longer than is strictly professional.  

“Rafael Aveiro.  I guess I’ll be seeing you around then, Dr. O’Shea?”

“Oh, I certainly hope so,” I murmur.

“I hope so too.”  Rafael flashes me a gentle smile.  Suddenly the walkie-talkie clipped to his chest squawks.  “That’s my cue…”

“See you later, Superman.”

Rafael laughs, clear and bright, as he races back out to the ambulance. I wait until he’s out of sight before I turn and head towards the elevators.  When I step off the elevator onto the fourth floor the first thing I see is Mrs. Martinez, the patient who flashed me and Elijah on our first day, doing her daily laps of the floor.  I’m surprised to see her walking with the Ice King, holding onto his arm for support. I linger for a moment, watching the pair as Ethan gestures with his free hand, clearly telling a story.  Mrs. Martinez laughs in appreciation, and he laughs along with her, his carefree smile taking years away from his usually stern countenance.  

He looks good when he smiles.

I quickly shake off the thought as Mrs. Martinez lets go of Ramsey’s arm and he begins heading my way.  His smile fades the moment he sees me.

“Eavesdropping again, are we, O’Shea?” he snipes.

I roll my eyes.  “Once again, it can hardly be considered eavesdropping when you were being loud enough for the whole hospital to hear you.”

He lowers his voices to the irritated tone he seems to reserve especially for me.  “Why must you be so difficult?”

“I don’t have time for this.  Delores Hudson isn’t going to examine herself.”

Ramey’s stoic mask cracks momentarily.  “Did you just say Delores Hudson?”

“Yes?”

“I’m coming with you.”

Fuuuuuck.

Ramsey hurries me to Delores’s room and I’m relieved to find her conscious, her oxygen mask replaced with a nose tube.  

“Hi, Ms. Hudson, I’m -”

“Ethan!” she cries out, a huge grin on her face.

“Delores!  What have you gotten yourself into this time?” Ramsey gently scolds her.

“There was a fire at my office.  I was upstairs filing away some papers.  The elevator shut down, and I couldn’t get down the stairs.”

He frowns in concern; an emotion I didn’t realize he was capable of. “I’ll call your sisters so they can fly in from Minneapolis in the morning.  I’m so glad you’re safe.”

“I’m glad you have Superman in the payroll.  The E.M.T. who carried me out was a total hunk,” she replies playfully.

“Rafael?  Yeah, his biceps could qualify as the eighth world wonder.”  I sigh dreamily.

Dolores snickers and looks at Ethan.  “He gets it.”

“I don’t want to interrupt but I would like to listen to Delores’s chest,” I say.  

“Delores, this is Dr. O’Shea,” Ramsey says.  “Delores was my very first patient when I was an intern.”

I feel my lips curling up into an impish smirk and I slowly turn my head to stare at him.

Sensational.

Ramsey narrows his eyes, clearly not liking the look I’m giving him.

“Tell me, Delores, was he always so handsome?”

Ramey’s jaw drops.  “Excuse me?” he sputters.

“He was cute, but to be honest, I think he’s aged like a fine wine,” she answers, playing along.

“Dr. O’Shea, the examination if you don’t mind?” Ramsey barks, scowling at me.

I widen my eyes and pout.  “But I have so many more questions!”

A vein in his temple starts throbbing, so I decide not to push my luck.  I take out my stethoscope and warm the cold metal on my palm before I press it to Delores’s chest.  

“Deep breath for me please.  So what brought you in back then, if I can ask?”

“Burst appendix,” she answers.  “I was totally freaked out, but Ethan calmed me down.  Even kept in touch a bit over the years.”

I arch one eyebrow.  “Dr. Ramsey has friends?”

“Rookie,” he growls warningly.  

“Her breathing is short, as you’d expect.  I’d like to get a chest x-ray,” I say quickly.

Ramsey glances over her chart, frowning.

I move to his side, keeping my voice low.  “What is it?”

“Her elevated B.P.  It should be low after smoke inhalation.  Let’s get a urine sample too.”

“Excuse me, Dr. O’Shea?”  Delores calls.  “I remember having my purse on me when that hunk carried me out.  Did they bring it in?”

I find the bag on the floor beside her bed and watch in concern as she searches through it, frowning.

“It’s not here!  I must have dropped it outside the office,” she says mournfully.  “It sounds stupid, but I saw this adorable stuffed frog on my lunch break and had to buy it for my little tadpole.  Both of my parents are gone and the father’s not in the picture. I just want everything to be perfect for him.”

“That doesn’t sound stupid,” I assure her.  “It sounds like you’re going to be a great mom.”

“Thank you.”  She smiles weakly.  “I just… I really wish I hadn’t lost that little frog.”

“We’ll go find it!” I offer impulsively.

Delores instantly brightens.  “Really, Ethan?  You’d do that for me?”

“Er... um.  Well…” he flounders for a second.  “Of course. But let’s get that urine sample to the lab first.  I’ll give you ten minutes, then meet you in the lot.”

Soon enough I’m in the staff parking lot, easing myself into the passenger side of Ramsey’s luxury car.  He turns on the radio as we pull out of the lot and classical music drifts from the speakers.  I turn to look out the window so he doesn’t see me wrinkle my nose in distaste.

“Sooo…” I draw out the word.  “Are you and Dr. Emery doing the do, or what?”

He gives me a sharp look.

“I saw you two this morning,” I forge on.  “It looked… intimate.”

“I don’t like advertising my private life at work,” he says slowly.

I stare at him, patiently waiting him out.

He sighs.  “We were an item.  And then only on again, off again.”

A feeling I don’t care to identify, something dark and poisonous, curls in my gut.  “And now?” I ask, fighting to keep my tone even.

I don’t care.  I don’t.  I don’t even like him.  Why would I care?

“Off.  As of last year she’s my boss.  Not that my personal life is any of your business.”

“My lips are sealed.”

Ramsey smiles at me briefly.  “Good.”

“Did Dr. Banerji really quit?”

“I was wondering when you’d get around to asking that.”

I shrug.  “It’s all anybody at the hospital is talking about.  So did he?”

“Yes.”

I straighten up in my seat.  “What?  Why?”

“That’s between him and Chief Emery.”  A muscle in Ramey’s jaw twitches.

He’s hiding something.

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

O’Shea gazes at him from the passenger seat, those pale green eyes studying him with intense concentration.  Ethan focuses his gaze on the road, careful not to give anything away.   Rory eventually turns towards the window and he relaxes back into his seat.

“You’re in charge of the diagnostics team now.  That’s a lot of pressure,” Rory murmurs.

“More than you can imagine,” Ethan admits.  “Naveen built that team from his own blood, sweat, and tears. I can’t let him down now that he’s moved on.”

It feels good to confess that, like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders now that the words have been spoken.

“But is that what you want?” Rory presses.

“What I want is to confront the impossible mysteries of the human body, and understand.”

Rory blinks, eyes wide behind his glasses.  “Um, not exactly what I meant but okay.  Did you always want to lead the diagnostics team?”

“The team gives me the opportunity to face the questions no one has answered, so in that respect, I supposed the answer is yes.”

Rory sighs, reaching up to undo the elastic that’s holding his hair back.  He runs his hands through his loose hair, and Ethan risks glancing over, his breath catching in his throat as he admires Rory’s profile in the warm glow of the streetlights. His hair curls gently around his face, brushing against high cheekbones, the rich black of it a stark contrast to his pale skin.  He worries his lower lip between his teeth, and Ethan struggles to resist the urge to reach over graze his thumb over that sumptuous mouth.  Rory glances over at him and he snaps his gaze back to the road.

“I feel like you’re being deliberately obtuse, Dr. Ramsey,” he murmurs.

They drive a few more miles in silence before Rory speaks again.

“I’m actually surprised you were up for this little rescue mission.”

Ethan chuckles.  “You think I don’t want to spend my time searching for stuffed animals?”

“I suppose I thought you’d think it was beneath you.  You’re a busy man.”

“There’s no element of patient care ‘beneath’ any doctor, from interns up to, and including, attendings.”

“And Delores is a friend,” Rory says.

“She’s a patient first, while she’s in our care.  But yes, she’s also a friend.  If a stuffed frog will help her get though this, then I’ll find her the damn frog.”

Rory gifts Ethan with a gentle smile, the expression so different from the usual glares and disappointed looks he gives him.  Ethan tries, and fails, to ignore the feeling that smile gives him.  It’s something he wants to see, wants to be reason for, again.  Many times over.

“I think you might be a softie at heart, Dr. Ramsey,” Rory teases him.

“Far from it,” Ethan scoffs.  “I’m practical.  And that’s enough prying for now.  We’re here.”

Ethan hurriedly exits the car, eager to get some space from the intern, and the feelings Rory stirs within him.

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

The rancid smells of burning plastic and plaster make me sneeze as I get out of the car.  Across the street, firefighters are still battling the blaze that’s fully consumed the office building.

“We can search the perimeter, but if it fell from her purse in there…”  Ramsey looks disheartened.  

“Well let’s hope it didn’t,” I say, marching forwards.  

We search methodically, investigating the street where Rafael may have parked the ambulance.  I’m getting increasingly frustrated and starting to think we’re on a wild goose chase when Ethan cries out.

“Look, it’s there in the storm drain!”  He points down at the small, green stuffed animal.

I eye the storm drain warily.  “Oh, fuck off with that bullshit.  I am not going down there.  Haven’t you seen ‘IT’?”

“Seen what?” Ramsey asks, confused.

I groan loudly and clasp my hands behind my head.  “Fine.  We’ll lower me in.

“Worth a shot.”

I lay down on the ground and slide my top half into the storm drain, leaning into the darkness, Ramsey gripping my left hand to hold me steady. 

“I swear to Christ if I see a red balloon I’m going to shit my scrubs,” I mutter.

“What?”  

I don’t answer, stretching out my free hand towards the frog.

“Can you reach it?” Ramsey asks.

“Almost…” I stretch a little further and – “Got it!”

Ramsey hauls me back out, and I stumble a little as the blood rushes back to my head.  He quickly catches me, his hands on my hips holding me steady.  The warmth of his hands feels scorching, and I look up to see him staring down at me, his gorgeous blue eyes dark and intense.  I shuffle a little closer to him, and Ramsey tightens his grip; I can feel each of his fingertips pressing into my skin through the thin fabric of my scrubs.  The air around us seems almost electrified and I’m suddenly finding it hard to breathe.

I quickly step back, shattering the moment, and hold up the frog. “Mission accomplished.  You’re an excellent sidekick, Dr. Ramsey.”

He shakes his head, as if he’s trying to brush off the intensity of whatever it was we just shared, before flashing a brief smile.  “I’m Batman, you’re Robin, and don’t you forget it, Rookie. Now get in the car, we need to get back.”

8:47 p.m.

“Dr. O’Shea!”  Marlene stops me as I walk by the nurses’ station.  “Miss Hudson’s urinalysis results.”

My shoulders slump as I read the results.  

Shit.

I hurry to find Ramsey.  I find him in Delores’s room, the two of them laughing as they watch T.V.  I knock lightly on the doorjamb and nod towards the hallway, wordlessly urging him to join me.  I hand him the lab results as soon as he exits the room, and watch as he comes to the same realization I did.

“The baby’s in trouble, isn’t he?”

Ramsey meets my eyes, clearly worried for his friend.  “Let’s go tell her.”

I take a few deep breaths to steady myself for the news I’m about to deliver.  I’ve personally never been good at dealing with bad news, preferring to bury my problems so far down that the Earth’s core is the only thing deeper than my issues.

Ramsey turns back to look at me.  “This is the job, Rookie.  Come on.”

“I know!” I snap, surprising both of us with my vehemence, before softening my voice.  “I know it’s the job.”

Delores’s smile fades the instant we re-enter the room.  “What’s wrong?” she demands.

Ramsey nods at me to take the lead.

“I don’t want you to worry,” I begin.

Delores pales.  “That exactly what people say when you should be worried!”

“We found an abnormality in your labs,” I continue, giving her what I hope is a reassuring smile.  “You have pre-eclampsia.  This is a fairly common occurrence in pregnancy, and it’s usually manageable if monitored, but yours is quite serious.”

“How serious?” she asks quietly.

“The flow of blood to the placenta is greatly reduced.  Soon it will start to deprive your baby of oxygen and vital nutrients.”

“Your baby is at risk,” Ramsey says bluntly.

Tears well in Delores’s eyes.  “But everything feels fine!  I can still feel the baby kicking!”

Ramsey takes a small step towards her and softens his voice.  “This just means we’re going to have to deliver the baby early.”

“No!  It’s too soon!”

“Babies delivered at twenty-six weeks have a good chance of survival,” I say soothingly, raising my hands in a placating gesture.

“A chance?”  Delores’s shoulders slump.

“He’ll have to spend time in the N.I.C.U., and there’s risk of post birth complication -”

“And some babies don’t make it at all!  Is my baby in danger right now?”

Ramsey and I exchange an uneasy glance.

“Not immediately, no,” he answers.  “But -”

“Then my little tadpole is staying put,” Delores declares with a firm nod.

“Delores -”

“No, Ethan!  Just… give me a week.  Give me as long as you can.  Please.”

“I’ll give you tonight,” he concedes.  “To come to your senses.”

“I’ll keep checking on her,” I say quietly as we walk out into the hall.  “Maybe we can talk her around.”

Ramsey shakes his head.  “No.  Just go home. Your shift’s been over for hours already.”

I stare at him in confusion.  “She’s my patient.  As long as she needs me, I’m staying here.”

He sighs, rubbing his hand over his mouth.  “I’m taking over this case.”

“You can’t do that!”  I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him.

“Go home, Rookie!” Ramsey shouts.

“Don’t raise your fucking voice at me,” I retort, more out of shock than actual protest.

“You’re not ready for this.  Now go home.” He spares me one final, cold stare before he storms away.

“Fuck!” I grind out through gritted teeth.  I turn to look into Delores’s hospital room.  She lies in the bed, tightly holding the stuffed frog as tears streak down her cheeks.  “Fuck…”

10:23 p.m.

I flop down onto the sofa next to Sienna with a despondent sigh.  

“Are you still brooding about Ramsey?” she asks, setting aside the book she had been reading.

“I don’t brood!” I insist.

Sienna doesn’t bother to reply, merely arching an eyebrow at my protest.

“Much.  I don’t brood much,” I mutter.

“I’m sure Dr. Ramsey had his reasons for taking over,” she says soothingly.  “The patient is his friend after all.”

I snort and roll my eyes.  “His reason is he doesn’t think I can handle it.  He flat out told me I wasn’t ready for it.  If he’s worried why doesn’t he keep overseeing the case? What was the point of kicking me off completely other than to be a massive douche canoe?  I just… I don’t like leaving her there all by herself.  I could have helped, I could’ve walked her through the procedure, answered more of her questions, anything instead of just… leaving.”

“Do you not trust Dr. Ramsey to take care of her?”

“No!  No, it’s not about that.  In spite of being a total jackass, the man is a brilliant doctor.  She was my patient though.  I talked to her, got to know her a bit.  I guess I feel responsible for her now, in a way.  And I’m worried.”

Sienna gives me a kind smile.  “You might be the one person who worries more than I do.”

“You take that back,” I gasp, placing my hand on my chest in mock hurt.

She giggles and wraps her arm around my shoulders in a quick hug.  “You’re a good doctor, Rory.  But there is such a thing as caring too much.  Sometimes you need to take a step back and breathe.”

“Yeah, I guess.”  I lean my head against hers, close my eyes, and try to relax, thankful for the new friendship blossoming between the two of us.

“Hey Rory?” Sienna asks after a few minutes.

“Hm?”

“What’s going on with you and Dr. Ramsey?”

I open my eyes.  “What?”

“This… whatever it is between the two of you.”

“The only thing between us is mutual loathing.”  I turn my head to look at her.

“Are you sure about that?” she counters, smirking.

I throw my hands up in the air.  “Ok, I’ll admit he’s attractive.  I’d have to be dead to not notice how fine that man is.  But he’s just so… Ramsey.”

“Can you expand on that please?” Sienna prompts me.

“You’ve seen what he’s like.  He’s unnecessarily mean to the interns, to nearly everyone actually.  He’s so damn highhanded about everything, and god forbid you have a different opinion than him, because then in his eyes you’re just an idiot who’s wasting his time.  He’s jaded and he always looks for the absolute worst in people and treats everyone like they have an ulterior motive.  And he’s rude and he’s tall and -”

“What does him being tall have to do with anything?”

“I don’t like having to look up when I talk to him,” I mutter.  “It hurts my neck.”

Sienna sits quietly, waiting for me to continue.  

“I don’t know,” I sigh.  “He discombobulates me.  Every now and then it seems like maybe there’s something else beneath all that snark and cynicism and I think we’ve had some moments, but then he’s right back to being an asshole.  I don’t understand him.”

“And that bothers you because…?”

“Because I want to,” I quietly admit.  “But he’s never going to let me.  He dated Harper Emery; he’s never going to look twice at some intern he can barely stand.”

“Dr. Ramsey dated Chief Emery?” Sienna squeals.

“Oh shit.”  I clap my hands over my mouth.  “You cannot tell anyone.  Ramsey made me promise to keep my mouth shut about that.”

She nods vigorously.  “I swear I won’t tell a soul.”

“Thank you,” I sigh, relieved.

“You know,” Sienna says, looking at me out of the corner of her eye.  “There’s this thing called the irresistible force paradox.  Wayne told me about it once.”

I bite my tongue to hold back a snarky remark about her invisible boyfriend.  I haven’t met him yet, but I already hate him, purely for the way he treats Sienna.

“What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?  Nothing can stand up against an irresistible force.  And no force can budge the immoveable object.  I think in this situation you’re the immovable force and Dr. Ramsey is the immovable object.”

“So what does happen when the irresistible force meets the immoveable object?”

“Nothing.”  Sienna shrugs.  “They cancel each other out.”

I stare at her.  “That is… supremely unhelpful.”

“No, wait!”  She laughs and grabs my hand, pulling me back down onto the sofa as I move to stand up. “You and Dr. Ramsey have all these issues because you keep pushing against each other.  But fighting isn’t getting you anywhere, you just stay in this grey area where you’re angry with each other.  So maybe it’s time to stop pushing against the immovable object.”

I grimace.  “I don’t know…”

“I’m not saying roll over and agree with everything the man says.  But maybe try to be a little more patient and understanding if you want to have anything more than a ‘moment’ with him. He might be a more open if you are too. ”

“I hate it when you’re mature and make sense,” I groan.  

She laughs and gives me a playful shove.  “I call dibs on maid of honor.”

“I think you’re getting ahead of yourself there, Trinh,” I snicker. “We still need to manage to have a full conversation that doesn’t end in an argument.”

My pager suddenly goes off, interrupting the lighthearted moment.   My heart twists as I read the message.

“What happened?” Sienna asks, concerned.

“My preeclampsia patient just got rushed into surgery,” I whisper. “I have get back to the hospital.”

“Go.  Call if you need me.”  Sienna offers me one last reassuring smile before I rush out of the apartment.

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