#Oph book club

[choicesficwriterscreations]

CFWC Writer of the Month: GenevieveMD

Each month CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers, and this month’s writer of the month is @genevievemd! We hope you will enjoy learning more about her and her work below! The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page.

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog: genevievemd Blog Masterlist

How do you want to be known on Tumblr?  Sara

1- When did you start playing Choices? What's the first book you played? 

I honestly don’t remember, probably back in like 2017, 2018. I was playing it with the oldest of the kids I nannied at the time and also by myself cause I enjoyed it. We did it like a little book club together. It was also back when the app was not as spicy lol. We played America’s Most Eligible together, but my first book was Rules of Engagement. 

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I joined the fandom officially back in October of 2020, I had lost interest in the app and then found it again during the pandemic. I finished book one of Open Heart and got sucked in. I fell in love with the characters and then rushed to finish what was out of Book 2 at the time (chapter 8). And then I lucked on Tumblr for a bit, stalked @jamespotterthefirst (lol), and then after chapter 17, I joined for real and wrote my first fic. And I’ve been here ever since. 

3- How did you pick your url name? 

It’s my MC’s name, and what I imagined her instagram/social media handle would be. 

4- Go back to your archive and tell us about the first post on your Choices blog. 

OMG, my first legit post was actually me reblogging a post I made on my real blog about Open Heart. I was asking people what we thought Ethan called MC as a pet name for the fic I was writing. 

5- How long have you been writing fanfiction?

Oh man, way too freakin long. At least 15 years was totes part of the fanfiction.net phase of the internet. I used to write for a couple of shows I was into, but I didn’t get super into writing fanfiction until the show Once Upon a Time. And then I wrote all the time for my favorite ship, Captain Swan. They’re all still up on my main blog. 

6- What is your favorite Choices book to write about?

I’ve actually only written for one, Open Heart. I’ve never had the desire or inspiration for any other book. Even though I’ve played a bunch of books. 

7- Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it or would you change anything about it?

Do I have to? Lol A Love Like This

It was called A Love Like This, and I hate it. I think mostly because I didn’t have a true voice for Genevieve or my interpretation of Ethan. I contemplate deleting it from my masterlist all the time, but it was part of my journey in the OPH/Choices fandom and paved the way to finding my MC’s voice and my own writing style. So I keep it. 

8- What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

So many lol But I think my all-time favorite would be my series The Year Between. Does that count? It was the first major series I’ve ever written… ever and it tackled so many things about my characters. My second fav is Breathe Through – it was a very personal piece and means a lot to me. 

9- Do you have a fic that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to be but could use a little more love?

Oh totally. My first ever smut fic, Something About You. I was not expecting people to be as into it as much as they were. I was pleasantly surprised because our fandom has so many amazing smut writers, and I don’t compare at all. 

As for one I think needs more love? I honestly can’t decide. For as long as I’ve been in this fandom, every fic I’ve posted has been met with so much love and support I can’t think of any that I wish had gotten more. (Maybe my second smut fic, Sunset Glow, only cause I think it got lost in the Smutober chaos, lol)

10- If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 

Angsty Fluff. Best of both worlds. It also gives you more options with like fic topics. I like for my fictional worlds to feel a little more real, so people can relate more and I think angsty fluff allows for that. You can have the struggle and sadness but with a happy ending. 

11- Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

LMAO Yes. Genevieve is me but smarter. Most of her traits are my own, including her anxiety and I’ve always used writing her a comfort, a way to express myself in a way that’s healing. If that makes any sense. She’s like the version of me I’d want to be one day. Just not a doctor cause I can’t handle other peoples bodily fluids. Lol 

My OC, Natalie Michaels has a bit of me in her too, but not as much as Genevieve. 

12- What element of writing do you struggle with most?

I call it the in between bits, the descriptive parts between dialogue. I think that has to do with my schooling background. I went to college for film and television and did a lot of screen writing for my classes and so dialogue has always come so easy to me. I envision fics like scenes from an episode or movie, so getting the in between parts of fics can be challenging for me. 

13- Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

So many. The epilogue to The Year Between, a valentines day fic, the rest of the Absence Makes the Heart… series. I hope to get back to them one day, but I’ve learned that I can’t force my brain to write because I never like my work when I do. When I’ll wait until the inspiration for them returns, and then I’ll finish them. 

14- If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first? 

Yes. I’m so proud of the world I created from Open Heart and if someone wanted to read them I’d let them. I’d just give them the link to the masterlist for Open Heart: Sara’s Version and say, “Start from the top” lol 

15 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing?

IRL writers? No. I don’t read a lot outside of fanfiction which is horrible lol, but in the random, there are a few. Bree @jamespotterthefirst is a huge inspiration for me. She was one of if not the first people I read when I joined, and I’m just in awe of her work. Everything she writes is amazing and brings me so much joy. Others are @jerzwriter and @potionsprefect, and some who aren’t in the fandom anymore.

16- Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 

All of my universe, aka Open Heart: Sara’s Version. As I said earlier, I write like I’m writing a tv show lol So I wanna see my version of Open Heart as a show. 

17- Do you write original stories? 

I don’t but I think about turning OPH: SV into an original series.

18 -  What other hobbies do you have?

I love playing video games. I’m not good, but I enjoy it. I’m super lame and don’t have many hobbies outside of writing and video games… I should get some lmao 

19 - What’s your favorite emoji? 

The double pink heart 

[bryceslahela]

Redownloaded choices in a moment of weakness (I was bored) and uhhh are all the books actually steamy romances with no plot??? Wild. I started playing the billionaire’s baby and it’s very funny to me playing it and not spending gems bc. Mr billionaire is gonna fall in love with me no matter what. This isn’t like endless summer where my choices genuinely impact whether or not my LI likes me. Bro this app is nuts do any of these books have plot anymore or?????????????

i haven’t actually played any of the new books i can’t lie. the billionaire baby sounds like hell bc i would hate to be pregnant either in a fictional universe or in real life.

smut sells though, i mean look at booktok and the drivel that is heavily promoted. every time someone asks about how ‘spicy’ a book is? my soul dies. i mostly still have the app for replays, due to a) nostalgia (the freshman, oph, fa) or b) bad bitchery (loa, moty, acor), so i can’t speak to the quality of newer books. i mostly read romance club now.

[beastlyinstrument]

Don't y'all just want to replay some certain chapters off a Choices book without having to restart the whole thing again? Like I just want to relive some of the bestest moments with my LI...express shipping mode ✈️

[jamespotterthefirst]

Prelude (Ethan x f!MC)

Book: Open Heart, Book 1 Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Lilac Allende) Word count: 1.5 K Premise: Three moments leading up to their fateful meeting.

Author’s Note: In which I try to explain why MC didn’t know what Ethan, her medical hero, looked like. Also, my (late) fic for the book 1 replay. Thank you @aestheticartsx​ for pre-reading!

Three.

Harper frowns down at the file in her hand, her sharp gaze burning into the collated papers as though coercing them to solve their dilemma once and for all. From the end of the table, Cyrus lets out an inpatient sigh.

“It's very simple, Harper,” he drones. Ethan's fists clench reflexively at his sides, urging to remind Cyrus that Harper is the chief now and warrants more respect than his insufferable tone is offering. “The last spot should go to the candidate from Harvard. We are the best hospital on the east coast, after all. It only makes sense.”

Harper looks unconvinced and still, her pensive expression remains fixed in the file.

“An ivy league degree does not a good doctor make,” Naveen adds sagely into the ensuing silence. His smile is placid enough but Ethan knows the older doctor well enough to hear the warning edge in his voice. Evidently, even Naveen disapproves of Cyrus's lack of respect for their new chief.

Cyrus scoffs.

“And if you need further proof of that, Doctor Cyrus,” Ethan begins dryly, eyes boring into him. “Then look no further than your side of the conference table.”

A few attendings—at least the ones who have become increasingly tired of Cyrus's boastful proclamations about his alma mater—laugh quietly at the jab. Cyrus splutters, his face an unpleasant shade of red as he glares daggers at Ethan.

“This candidate,” Harper says at last, unaware or uncaring of what she had just interrupted. Her two lone words are enough to command the room's attention at once, but her hazel eyes are on Ethan. “You're convinced she's the best fit for Edenbrook?”

Ethan meets her eye and pauses.

It's the first time they look at each other directly since he ended their relationship two weeks prior. Despite the brief time apart and an unshakeable resolve to be professional, his stomach sinks heavy, like a stone.

Harper looks as graceful and dignified as ever, keeping every emotion in check. Yet, as she holds his gaze, Ethan can see a small flicker or sadness and his stomach twists with guilt.

“I'm positive, Chief Emery,” Ethan responds. “This candidate exhibits the type of potential we look for at Edenbrook.”

The use of her new title seems to snap Harper out of a reverie.

“She graduated top of her class and ranked in the top percent among our chosen cohort of interns,” Ethan continues. “I've also looked into her research and it's among the most promising I've seen. I recommend her without reservations.”

With a single nod and a sense of finality, Harper closes the file.

“Then it's settled. We have our last intern.”

“You're joking, Harper,” Cyrus blurts out, incensed. “We're giving a coveted spot to the candidate from UCLA?”

He says the name of the school with so much derision, Ethan feels his ears flare up.

“That Doctor Ayala?” Cyrus continues.

“Doctor Allende,” Ethan corrects, jaw clenched.

“Don't we have enough charity cases in the cohort already? This is token—”

But the vitriol is quickly interrupted by several things happening at once: Ethan darting forward, fists ready; a startled, collective gasp from the other attendings; Naveen, quietly intercepting Ethan and halting his steps with a steady hand, a feat that is impressive for a man much older and shorter; and Harper, also on her feet, directing a disgusted look at Cyrus she doesn’t bother to disguise behind professionalism.

“I would think very carefully about finishing that sentence if I were you, Doctor Cyrus,” she says, her voice low but with the impact of a clashing gavel. “And I ask that you address me as Chief Emery moving forward.”

Two.

“If you end up marrying someone with a Boston accent,” Laurel is saying with a devilish grin. “I will never be able to keep a straight face when they talk. Pahk the cah in Hahvahd Yahd.”

Her older sister peers at Lilac over the flaps of an open cardboard box, the glint in her eye growing wickeder still. “Imagine what they’d sound like in bed. You're so fucking gawgeous, dawctaw—”

Before her sister can escalate that impression into disturbing territory, Lilac silences her with a well-aimed pillow. It succeeds in hitting Laurel straight in the face but also in turning her laughter into a cackle.

“Are you going to help me pack or not?” Lilac says sternly, though the effect is entirely ruined by the smile that manages to break through.

Laurel raises her hands in defeat and returns to packing Lilac's books neatly. They work in companionable silence for a few minutes with nothing but their favorite music blaring from the speakers of Lilac's phone.

“Is this the book?” her sister asks suddenly, turning a worn textbook in her hands and studying it closely. “The one written by your medical crush?”

For some inexplicable reason, Lilac feels her face flare with heat. “He's not my crush.”

“You just worship the ground he walks on,” her sister returns, flipping through Diagnostic Principles. “Though, you're right. In order to have a crush you'd need to know what he looks like.”

Laurel reaches the back cover, frowning. “Why wouldn't he add an author picture?”

Lilac says nothing, biting the inside of her cheek. She can't blame her sister for being curious and a bit disappointed at the lack of visual representation. After all, Lilac had felt crestfallen when all she found in the author's information section was the green and blue Edenbrook logo.

“Maybe he's a private man and doesn't like his picture out in the world? Maybe he wants aspiring doctors to focus on his research and not his looks?”

“So he's either really hot or really ugly,” Laurel returns, unmoved by Lilac's impassioned speech. “Have you ever tried looking him up online?”

Lilac had been tempted many times, but she was fiercely adamant about keeping her medical hero a mystery outside of his work. It already felt invasive enough to track down his undergrad research and every other minor paper he'd ever written. When it came to Ethan Ramsey, Lilac had searched every corner of scholarly journals and databases, absorbing every piece of his work with an adoration that was already embarrassing enough.

Plus, she would never admit it out loud, but she was also afraid that knowing what the brilliant doctor looked like would somehow ruin him for her. Or at least, alter the image of him she had constructed in her head for so many years. It felt right to continue seeing Dr. Ramsey as the brilliant force that pushed her into her dream career and not as a definitive set of features.

“It doesn't matter what he looks like. He's the best and I'm going there to learn from him, not to judge his appearance.”

“I'm Googling him,” Laurel announces, already typing furiously into her phone. After a few seconds, her phone returns results and her eyebrows shoot up, staying suspended for longer than normal.

“What?” Lilac asks despite herself.

“Wow.”

“Wow what?”

“Just… wow.” Laurel stares down at the screen with such awestruck amazement that Lilac feels a powerful wave of curiosity. “He’s shirtless in some of these.”

“What?” Lilac yelps, feeling her face flare up at once. 

“Yeah, apparently you’re not his only fan. Tons of people have taken his picture.” Her sister seems to blink out of a trance, turning the screen toward Lilac. “Here, see for your—”

But Lilac turns her gaze away almost out of reflex.

“No!” 

The word comes out far more impassioned than Lilac intended. Still, she resolutely turns her head. “That feels...invasive, somehow?”

“Come on—”

“I'm serious, Lau. I don't want to see. I'm already nervous enough about this whole thing without having to worry about this wow-worthy revelation. And besides, taking someone’s shirtless picture without their consent and posting it online is already bad enough. It feels wrong supporting that.”

Laurel rolls her eyes.

“I'm going to see him in less than a week anyway. With clothes. In a professional setting. As I should. If I waited all these years, I can wait that long.”

A knowing, devious sort of smile pulls at her sister's face. She mumbles something over the music and Lilac can swear it sounds oddly like: “...worth the wait.”

One.

Ethan should have taken the broken and sputtering coffee machine in his apartment as an omen. His morning definitely declined from then on, starting with gridlock traffic and ending with an infuriatingly long line at his favorite coffee place.

The ultimate lack of coffee is probably his fault because Ethan had spent too much time deliberating whether or not he wanted to go with store bought coffee on what promised to be a grueling day. When he had finally made up his mind, however, the line was already out the door.

Irritated and caffeine deprived, he drives back to Edenbrook.

“You're earlier than we agreed,” Naveen says as soon as Ethan accepts his incoming call. “What was the point of rearranging the whole schedule if you were going to come in when you pleased anyway?”

“I'm not even through the gates yet. What are you spying on me?”

“No need. You forget how predictable you are.”

Naveen chuckles as he says this which eases some of Ethan's irritation. The older doctor had purposely scheduled him later in the day to give him some peace on the first day of the new intern cohort.

Naturally, Ethan arrived several hours early, as per his custom.

“Or maybe you know me too well by now.”

Naveen's benevolent laughter turns into a dry but lingering cough on the other end of the line. Instantly, Ethan's insides freeze over, his stomach sinking unpleasantly.

He opens his mouth to question his mentor about this persisting symptom, when sheer reflex prompts him to stomp on the breaks so suddenly, his body jerks forward then slams against his seat.

“Shit.”

Something—or rather someone— had crossed the parking lot road right in front of his car, standing mere inches away from his front bumper.

“Ethan?” Naveen asks through the speaker.

When Ethan recovers and regains movement of his arms and legs, he feels the spike of adrenaline give way to pure annoyance.

The offending pedestrian is a young brunette clad in blue scrubs, a medical intern by the looks of it. She stands there in the middle of the road, her mouth hanging open in a way that would have been comical to Ethan if he wasn't so irritated.

They stare at one another, though Ethan is convinced she can't see much through the tinted glass.

Then, right before his eyes, she seems to recover from the shock. Drawing herself to her full height, she glares at Ethan. At least, he thinks she's glaring through the dark lenses of her sunglasses.

Ethan almost scoffs.

She has the audacity to be angry when she was the one who made the rookie mistake of aimlessly crossing in front of him?

Who the hell does she think she is?

“Asshole,” she mutters, the word quite audible through his windows.

Before a stunned Ethan can respond, she turns on her heel and rushes toward the hospital, a curtain of dark hair dancing behind her.

“What was that?” Naveen asks, still on the call.

“I hate interns,” Ethan responds much to the older doctor's amusement.

Bonus:

Author’s Note: In other words, my MC was late to her orientation because of Ethan and that’s how she met him in the waiting room lol. Thank you so much for reading! 

*Tagging Separately 

[starryeyedrookie]

[choicesbookclub]

Choices Book Club

****ON HIATUS****

Thank you to everyone who played Open Heart Books 1 & 2, Platinum, and Mother of the Year! It was a blast seeing everyone relive these beloved stories. We will be on hiatus indefinitely.

***Old Info***

We were all hit with nostalgia and decided to replay Open Heart: Book 1 as a whole group. We will also replay other of our old favorites as a whole group! For lack of a better term, we’re calling this a book club of sorts.

How it works:

Every Saturday, we will replay two chapters of our chosen book as a whole group. (Schedule below!)

You can make your own posts as you play. Think of it as the old days when these books were releasing and how we played as a community

The goal is to discuss and react together to old favorites!

No need to join a tag list or anything. Just make your posts on Saturdays

Examples of posts you can make:

screenshots | sh*t posting | reactions | memes | art | edits | fanfics

This blog will reblog some posts. However, this blog has few mods who are very tired and trying their best. Apologies in advanced if not all posts get reblogged. 

Please:

tag posts appropriately 

(not everyone will want to see these in the main character tags. Let’s please give everyone a chance to filter. Also, this will allow us to go through one tag to find all the posts and interact.)

have fun (at the end of the day this is all for a dose of much needed serotonin)

play nice (here’s to hoping for no drama. pretty please with a cherry on top)

Schedule:

[parisa-kh]

Here For You (AU series)

Chapter 1. A Revelation

Book: Open heart

Paring: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Haley Rochester) x M!OC (Alexander Solace)

Word count: 1845

Rating: T

Category: angst

Warnings: mentions of domestic violence

Series premise: Near the end of her intern year, Haley's marriage is about to fall apart. How is it gonna affect her relationship with Dr. Ramsey?

Chapter premise: After an awful night at home, Haley has to face her colleagues, or more specifically, Ethan.

A/N: This is my first fanfiction, and I am so excited to share it with you guys. English is not my first language, so I apologize in advance if there are mistakes or typos. A special thanks to @utterlyinevitable for editing and commenting and for her great suggestions. You're the best! <3

She stood in front of the mirror, looking at her reflection, eyes filled with sadness and color drained from her face. Her eyes fell on the bruises on her jaw and neck. Touching them with her fingertips, she remembered the events of the previous night. It was new, she was getting used to his irrational and sometimes aggressive behavior, but last night he crossed a line that wasn't easy to come back from.

He wasn't always like that. Once he was this sweet, loving man who supported her through everything and did everything he could to see her smile. She didn't know when exactly things started to change. Maybe it was when they moved to Boston for her to learn from her medical hero. Things were great at first, they were happily married, enjoying the second year of their relationship, living in their bubble happy and carefree.

Starting her job at Edenbrook, Haley used to talk about the Dr. Ramsey a lot. She called him a "handsome jerk" when she told Alex about her first day. As time went by, Haley started to like and admire his mentor, enthusiastically telling stories in which Dr. Ramsey had the leading role. Then she got busier as the top intern, and her workload and the amount of time she spent with Ethan started to take their toll. So when Alex met Ethan at a hospital party, the insane jealousy found its way into their relationship. Haley never expected such a misunderstanding and such reactions from Alex. It wasn't like him at all, but you never know someone fully until you go through thick and thin together, she thought.

Maybe it was the first test in their relationship, only months after getting married, and despite the horror she went through last night, she was still hopeful about working things out. Nonetheless, there was a little voice inside her head Haley couldn't ignore despite her greatest efforts, telling her they rushed into the marriage, maybe it was too soon, maybe she didn't know him like she thought she did.

The sound of the front door pulled Haley out of her thoughts, making her look back into the mirror, trying to find a way to cover the bruises. Using foundation and concealer didn't seem enough.

"I can wear a turtleneck in the spring, right? It's still not that warm."

Opening the drawer to take out her blouse, she was startled by his voice coming from their bedroom door:

"Haley?"

She looked at his reflection in the mirror, his face contorted with pain and regret. He came closer to hug her from behind, but she didn't let him:

"Stay away from me!" ‏She yelled, tears welling up in her eyes. She lowered her voice. "Alex, just ... give me some time, I can't... I can't look at you or be near you right now. Just leave me alone, please."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she averted her eyes from him. His hands froze in the middle of the way, realizing it was not at all the time to apologize for how he screwed up. He nodded in understanding and left the room without a word.

Haley let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, hastily got ready to go to the hospital. Edenbrook was her happy place. Her friends were there, her job, her patients, and Ethan.

Although Ethan Ramsey was easily the grumpiest man she'd ever met, after almost a year they had established kind of a close friendship, especially now that they were secretly working together to find a cure to save Naveen. However, today she wasn't willing to be seen by anyone, especially Ethan with those sharp piercing eyes. One wrong movement was enough for him to see the bruises, and then a very awkward conversation would ensue.

Everything went well until the evening.

She had successfully avoided her friends and Ethan altogether, but her last patient of the day was in such an awful condition that she couldn't keep it together anymore. All the sorrow and anger accumulated from the night before, together with seeing her patient on their death bed made it really hard to keep it together. Haley fled to the stairwell, trying to subside the panic that was rising in her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe. She stood near the window, trying to calm herself down, tears running down her face. Just when she was loosening her collar to breathe a little easier, she heard Ethan's concerned voice from behind her,

"Dr. Rochester? Are you alright?"

Before she was able to answer, his eyes fell on the bruises on her neck that she had tried to cover all day. His eyes widened and the worry on his face doubled, and a shadow of anger darkened his expression. Before he knew what he was doing, his hand reached out to her neck, stopping an inch away,

"What the hell happened to you?!"

Haley swallowed, staring back at him, not knowing what to say. At this moment, all she wanted to do was to pour everything out and cry for hours in her attending's arms that felt like the safest place. Haley knew Ethan had a kind heart. He would have protected her and helped her in every possible way. Torn between the need to confide in him and the urge to respect the privacy of her family life, she heard Ethan's voice again, getting more and more restless by the second. "Haley! Talk to me…For god's sake, did someone try to choke you?!"

Lying to Ethan wasn't easy. Especially when he was standing only a few inches away, demanding answers. She was already tired, and the heady scent of his cologne was making her dizzy.

"We, uh...my husband and I had a little fight... we'll be fine. There is nothing to worry about."

Her attempt to sound indifferent didn't fool Ethan. He was outraged, unknowingly raising his voice, "Your husband did this to you?!"

Trying to calm himself, he took a deep breath which wasn't helpful. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"And you're telling me it's fine?? Haley, this is not fine! He... he..." Ethan was at a loss for words. "He cannot do this to you!"

Haley looked down at her feet, her voice barely audible.

"I know how it looks, but we are going to work on it...I know what you're thinking, but I just...I don't want my marriage to fall apart." She looked up at him. "And please, Dr. Ramsey, stop shouting. People are gonna hear you!"

"I know I'm overstepping my boundaries, but this..." mentioning her bruises, "this doesn't look like fine or something that's ever going to be fine. It's concerning, to say the least." He pleaded, or better say, argued.

Ethan didn't know if he was more sad or angry. The sight of her battered and bruised was breaking his heart. The thought of someone laying their hands on her was driving him crazy.

"I appreciate your concern, really." She said." But right now, what I need from you is not to judge… if you want to help, just... stay here with me for a second."

His expression softened at her request. "Alright... if that's what you want."

When they sat down together, Haley suddenly put her head on his shoulder and started to cry, releasing the sorrow she had been trying to suppress all day. Ethan ran his hands up and down her arms, trying to calm her down. "It's Ok Rookie... let it out."

The rest of the day was uneventful. Ethan, however, watched Haley like a Hawk, waiting for any signs of sadness or discomfort to give her reassurance with a subtle smile, give her a cup of coffee, or send her to rest in an on-call room, whatever he could do to make her feel better. But she didn't show anything.

After their encounter in the stairwell, Haley was feeling much better. Her heart was lighter and warmer at the thought of the man who was there for her, sitting right across the table in the diagnostic office. She wasn't alone. She knew that. At least inside the walls of the hospital she was safe and sound. She wasn't ready to think about what was going to happen when she got home, for which she was grateful that she was on-call for the night. She could focus on doing what she loved and help the man she admired the most to save his mentor's life.

Around midnight, Ethan and Haley were sitting together on the sofa, hovering over the medical journals on the coffee table. They were working in silence when Haley's phone vibrated with an incoming text. Her face fell when she looked at it. Ethan could feel anxiety radiating from her. Feeling Ethan's attentive gaze, Haley looked up at him and explained in a sarcastic tone.

"It's Alex, begging for forgiveness." She rolled her eyes.

Ethan tore his gaze from Haley and put down a magazine he was holding. Something was bothering him.

"Can I ask you something? You're free not to answer if you're not comfortable."

"You want to ask about the fight, don't you?" Haley asked nervously.

God, she knew him so well, he thought. No matter how much he tried to keep his guard up, Haley always found her way in, getting to know him better than anyone. He chose his words carefully.

"I just want to know… what went so horribly wrong… to make you fight like this, to make him…." He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

"You really wanna know?" Haley looked at him with surprise. Was he asking out of curiosity, or did he care that much about her? To shatter his stoic facade and ask something so personal. Her dark brown eyes stared into his blue ones as if trying to find her answer in them.

"Yes. I wanna know, I… I need to know."

His heart was aching for the young woman in front of him -so innocent and kind, so brilliant and once full of life. What was happening to her was so unfair. He had noticed the changes in her behavior, how she was losing the spark in her eyes day after day, how she was no longer the stubborn intern who annoyed him the most but at the same time made his days brighter. He needed to know.

"He wants kids; I said no." Haley shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She could feel the warmth of Ethan's body. They were sitting too close for the revelation that was about to come. Would he even want to hear the answer if he knew what it was? Would their friendship survive it? What if Ethan goes back to being the stone-cold Dr. Rmsey again? Was she going to lose him now that she needed him the most?

Haley hung her head for a moment, then looked at him mournfully. "He thinks you're the reason."

‏

[storyofmychoices]

Welcome Home, Jovie!

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist]

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley (OC) Other Characters: Keiki Lahela, animal shelter volunteer Book: Open Heart  Rating/Warning: General *Fluff*; brief mention to animal neglect Word Count: ~1,450 Prompt: Mango: @choicesaugustchallenge ; @choicesbookclub OPH Book 2

Synopsis: Olivia, Bryce, and Keiki head to a local animal shelter to rescue a pup and give him or her their fur-ever home.

A/N: I had every intention of giving these three a bunny, but #TeamDoggo won the vote.

"I still think we should get a hedgehog." Keiki crossed her arms as she got out of the car.

"I can't help it if people like dogs best," Bryce gloated, pleased that his Pictagram post had received the most likes and comments, cementing the choice for their future pet. "Besides, what would you even do with a hedgehog?"

"Take adorable photos," Keiki interjected. "Did you even look at the recent ones I sent you? They made him a little tent and set up a campsite for him. It's the most adorable thing ever! Think of all the precious photoshoots we could have!"

"No."

Oliva's lips pressed together in sympathy, wrapping her arm around Keiki's shoulder supportively. "They really were adorable. Maybe one day."

"I guess," she sighed, her posture slumping. Her eyes widened, turning her attention to Bryce. "It's just that... after you left, I was all alone." Her voice dropped somberly. "I didn't have anyone to talk to or play with—it was just me. I had to pretend a lot. Looking at all the cute hedgehog pictures gave me something to hold on to with the hope that one day I could have one of my own. Since owning a hedgehog in Hawaii is illegal, I thought here my dream could finally come true."

His face softened, taking in his sister's requests.

"I guess some dreams are meant to be broken." She sniffled, wiping away a single tear, and then turned into Olivia.

"Bryce!" Olivia appealed, gesturing to his crying sister in her arms.

He exhaled noisily, running his fingers through his hair. It was the least he could do to make up for leaving her all those years ago. "Ughhh. Fine. If it means that much to you, then maybe we can—"

"Oh my god, really?!" She turned quickly, her tone rising instantaneously.

His gaze narrowed on her overly cheerful appearance and noticeable lack of tears. "Wait. Did you just make that up?"

"What? No! Why would I do that?" She rambled defensively.

"You were this close!" He held out his fingers to demonstrate. "Close, but not close enough, Keiks. Now, let's go meet our new dog!" Bryce moved eagerly toward the shelter.

"Did you really make it up?" Olivia lowered her voice as she and Keiki followed closely behind.

"I might have embellished and taken some creative liberties." She shrugged. "It was worth a try."

"Have you considered auditioning for the school play?" Olivia looked at her in bewilderment.

Keiki's lips turned up, and her face brightened. "It's crossed my mind."

"A dog will be fun!" Olivia nudged her cheerfully. "And don't forget, we still all get a say in which dog we adopt. You might just find one you love!"

The three had researched nearby shelters and looked online for available dogs. There were too many choices, so they settled on some criteria to help narrow their search. Despite the adorability factor of puppies, they decided a puppy needs more time, attention, and training than they currently have to give. They also limited their search to small and medium dog breeds. Big dogs are floofy and fun but need more room than is available in their apartment. With this focus, they found an animal shelter just outside of Boston that had several potential matches.

Despite all three of them initially wanting different types of pets, the moment they entered the shelter, they were like kids in a candy store. Olivia and Keiki cooed merrily at each pup they saw, their eyes growing impossibly large, taking in all the adorableness around them. The rounds of affection pleased each of the pets they greeted, happy to have attention. Bryce's eyes glowed as he moved more thoughtfully and purposefully, looking for just the right surfing companion.

"Aww!" Olivia fell to her knees beside a cage with a scrappy, tan dog. "You're so cute!"

The two-year-old mutt tilted its head to the side, looking up at her.

"Keiki! Over here! Look at this sweet girl!" Olivia covered her mouth as her eyes grew wider. Her tone quickly shifted as she cooed at the curious canine. "Yes, that's you. You're a sweet girl, aren't you, Mango."

The dog yipped in response, her tongue hanging out to the side of her mouth as she panted contentedly.

"Ohmygosh! She's adorable!" Keiki knelt beside Olivia, putting her hand up to the metal bars. A smile grew across her features as the dog licked her fingers.

"Aww," the two girls sounded in unison. Their high-pitched cheer brought Bryce to their side.

"What even is it?" His brow arched at the smallish-medium dog.

Olivia gestured to the sign attached to the corner of the cage. "It says Mango is a spaniel mix/breed unknown."

His lips pursed, not as taken by the dog as them. "I don't know."

Before he could protest further, one of the shelter volunteers was beside them. "She's a great choice! Mango came to us a couple of months ago from unfortunate living conditions. She had been neglected and was malnourished. But, she's a trooper. She's recovered wonderfully. Would you like to meet her?"

"Yes!" Olivia blurted out. Her teeth showing as she smiled brightly. "I mean—yes, please. Thank you." She breathed, trying to contain her enthusiasm.

"Come on, girl," the volunteer directed as he opened the cage door.

The honey-colored dog poked its head out apprehensively, sniffing the air cautiously.

Bryce sat beside his sister, holding his hand out for the dog.

"It's okay," Keiki offered.

Mango inched her way forward, looking between the humans staring at her. Her head tilted to the side, her tail wagging tentatively as they continued speaking quietly to her. Feeling more courageous, the pup bounced up, hopping into Olivia's lap.

She roared with laughter, her head falling back as the eager dog licked her cheek.

"Liv! She loves you!!!" Keiki gently ran her fingers down the dog's back, moving closer.

As if on cue, Mango turned her attention to Keiki, looking to offer her affection to the next human. "She's amazing!"

Bryce tried to keep a straight face, but as Mango made her round to him, his face softened.

She dropped down playfully in front of him. Her front paws fell low to the ground as her hindquarters raised; her tail swooshed happily in the air.

"What? You want to play?" His voice was light as he leaned down to her.

Mango barked and spun around in a circle before resuming her jovial stance.

He slid his hands down her back, capturing her vibrating tail.

She followed his movements, barking and turning to try to catch him.

Olivia's squeal of excitement pulled his attention from the dog. "You love her, too!"

He sighed half-heartedly. "Do I even have a choice?"

Olivia turned toward Keiki; their matching smiles showed they had already made their decision. "Technically, yes, but since there are two of us, and one of you... there's no point."

"We're really going to adopt a dog named Mango?"

"Why not?" Keiki defended. "They're delicious!"

"Exactly! They're a fruit! Not a dog," he insisted.

"We named her Mango. She didn't come with a name," the worker interrupted. "When she first arrived, one of the things we found she loved most was mangoes. That little girl couldn't get enough of them."

"See! There's a good reason," Keiki argued. "It's fine. You'll get used to it."

"If the name is troubling you, should you adopt her, you could change her name," the volunteer suggested.

"That won't confuse her?" Bryce questioned.

"Dogs are resilient and highly intelligent. Many of our adoptees end up with new names. Dogs of any age can learn a new name in as little as a few days to a week."

"Hmm," Bryce considered.

"Belle?" Olivia suggested immediately.

"Honey?" Keiki offered quickly.

"Princess."

"Sweetie."

"Fluffy."

"Snookums"

"Smushie!"

"Mr. Fluffikins!"

"It's a girl," Bryce interrupted the girl's back and forth.

Keiki shrugged. "I stand by the suggestion."

Olivia watched as the dog pranced between the three of them, her body fluttering with joy under their attention. "What about Jovie?"

"Like Bon Jovi?" Bryce questioned.

"No, Jovie, like jovial. She's so cheerful despite everything that she's been through. She hasn't let her bring her down."

"Aww! That's adorable, Liv!" Keiki agreed. "I like it. She'll bring us all joy too."

"Is this going to be a thing now? I'm continuously outvoted?" Bryce grumbled apathetically, feigning protest.

"Well, you are going to be living with three girls," Olivia smirked. "I'd get used to it if I were you."

His gaze narrowed toward her, as she winked in reply. There were certainly worse things to happen than being surrounded by three females that he happened to adore.

The decision had been made.

"Welcome Home, Jovie." Olivia scooped the dog in her arms, letting the affectionate pup pepper her face in kisses.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story. Tags will be in a reblog, please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed.

A/N2: Holland Roden is my Olivia face claim; her dog Fievel will be Jovie's face claim.

[anntoldst0ries]

How I feel about OH book 3:

[solarisrenbeth]

So it begins...👨‍⚕️🚗

{{meme credit @alexaplaysgames}}

[beastlyinstrument]

Ethan.. honey, no... What have they done to you?

[jamespotterthefirst]

The supply closet scene with Bryce was the best thing that happened to me:

He comforts MC and empowers them

Their cute, playful banter

Bryce's embrace makes MC feel safe

It was free

Bryce is so into MC already , he kisses them back hard

So much so that they almost destroy that closet

It cost zero diamonds

Bryce telling MC, “God, you're incredible...”

Zaid interrupting and Bryce having the guts to tell him they need privacy djdkdkdkfnf

For FREE

“Hope I cheered you up”

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[starryeyedrookie]

Before It’s Too Late (Ethan x MC)

Book: Set during book 2 ch. 11.

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x MC (Evelyn Long)

Word count: 1,996

Rating: General

Category: Angst

Summary: An attack scene rewrite when Ethan spends the night with MC.

A/N: Characters and some dialogue owned by Pizelberry.

I finally decided how I was going to write this rewrite. Initially I was trying to do a full chapter rewrite but half way through, I was already at 3k+ words so it would be waaaay to long. Thankfully, I managed to summarize it but also give it a ton of angst. (This was my first time writing angst btw.) I hope you enjoy!

8:30 pm

It's been exactly five hours since the attack. Five excruciatingly long hours since Evelyn’s world was turned upside down.

Travis, Senator Ed’s assistant, had slowly been poisoning him with lead. When they went to confront him, he pulled out a can and sprayed everyone in the room with a deadly unknown substance.

The Senator managed to escape and Travis was dead. But so was Bobby, with Danny fighting for his life.

Evelyn begins to cry again as she thinks about Bobby’s wife and two kids that he left behind. They would now have to grow up without their dad. He would miss so many big milestones in their lives all because of two selfish people.

“E-Evelyn…?” a weak voice calls from across the room.

She walks over to the bed where Raf is lying down, a light sheen of sweat covering his pale face.

The team had come a little while ago with a shot that they had hoped would slow the progression of their symptoms, but Raf’s still seemed to be getting worse.

“What’s wrong?” he asks quietly, gently wiping the tears from her face.

“I was just… thinking about Bobby’s family and… everything that he… would miss. He was… just telling me… this morning that… his oldest daughter is turning sixteen this year…”

“I know… life isn’t fair. They didn’t deserve any of this.”

“You didn’t either, Raf.”

“But I saved you from having to suffer so much… and that’s what matters.”

“Raf…”

“Shh… listen, I feel… like I’m… getting worse. Will you… do me a favour?”

“Of course. Anything you need.”

“Please help me call my vovo.”

Evelyn hands Raf his phone to unlock, then scrolls through his contacts until she sees his grandmother’s name, tapping it, she places the phone to his ear.

“Olá, vovo.”

“No… I’m not well. There was an attack at the hospital today and the Senator’s assistant tried to kill him. A few people were in the room when it happened. The Senator escaped, but his assistant and one person that works here died and the other is in critical condition. Evelyn and I are in quarantine right now.”

“I just wanted to let you know… that if I… don’t make it… I love you with all my heart.”

“Alright, take care. I love you too.”

“Thank you, Evelyn.” he takes a shaky breath, his heart rate slowing and growing more shallow.

“Evelyn… I think you should… call the team… I'm sorry I couldn't save you… that this… might be the way it ends…” he murmurs, eyes meeting hers, as warm and kind as the day they met.

Taking his hand, she can barely see him through her tears.

“You'll make it through this Raf… I know you will…”

He smiles up at her before his eyes flutter closed and his hand falls away.

Moments later Ethan and June rush into the room.

“I’d hoped that the treatment would buy us more time,” Ethan says sadly.

“We don’t know that it didn’t.” Evelyn tries reassuring him.

He nods as June’s eyes fill with sympathy.

“We’ll get him to the support suite. There’s still a chance that we could fix this Evelyn.” June tells her, as she prepares Rafael for transport.

Evelyn’s almost too scared to ask, but she needs to know. “How’s Danny?”

“We… we lost him.” Ethan’s voice comes out in a whisper.

“No…”

“Before he died he… he asked to be autopsied. To help the two of you.”

As Ethan turns to help June, Evelyn reports Raf’s most recent symptom of hot cold reversal.

“Stay strong, Evelyn. We’ll know more soon.” June tells her reassuringly as she and Ethan slowly push Raf out of the room.

Now she’s all alone, curled up on her bed, the pressure in her head becoming almost too much to bear.

Her mind drifts to Danny. She remembers her first day when he was the one that told her that she had just performed a thoracotomy with Ethan Ramsey. The night of the party her roommates had when he and Sienna talked all night until they fell asleep together on the couch.

Sienna. All Evelyn wanted to do was rush to her side and hold her. She and Danny were supposed to be together. They were meant for each other. But how he was gone, and Sienna would have to live with that loss. She probably never even got to say goodbye.

Goodbye. Evelyn had to be prepared.

Picking up her phone, she sees that she has several missed calls and messages.

Calling her mom, she picks up immediately.

“Evelyn sweetie! Are you okay?! Oh my goodness, we saw what happened on the news and I thought we lost you!”

Hearing her mom’s voice, her tears start falling again.

“I’m hanging in there right now mom. It’s just me in the room now. Rafael just got taken to the support suite.”

“Oh, sweetie…”

“Mom… is everyone there?”

“Yes, honey. We’re all here.”

“Can you put me on speaker please?”

“Hey Evey.” she hears her dad’s voice say.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hi Evelyn, do they know what it is yet?

“Hi Ben, no they don’t. We got a shot earlier that was supposed to slow the progression of the symptoms, but we don’t have a cure yet.”

“Oh.”

“Listen, guys… if I don’t make it…”

“No Evelyn! You can’t say that!” her heart breaks as she hears Ben crying through the phone.

“Wait… just listen to me. I’m preparing for the worst. I want you guys to know… that I love you all so much. And I want to thank you for everything that you’ve done to help me fulfill my dreams.”

Aside from the sound of soft cries, the line is silent.

Finally, her dad speaks up.

“We love you too sweetie. Stay strong and hang in there. You’ll be fine.”

“I’ll try… take care.”

“Bye.”

Later, her friends and the diagnostics team are gathered outside her window. Bryce looks at her with haunted eyes while a crying Sienna buries her face in Jackie’s shoulder.

“How’s Kyra? The surgery must be over by now…”

“She’s fine and resting. We haven’t told her what happened yet.”

“Good idea.”

“So, do you know what it is yet?”

Ethan explains to her that it’s a maitotoxin that he had never seen before. It was still present in Danny’s bony postmortem and on the surface of his skin.

Processing the information, the realization hits Evelyn like a ton of bricks.

“Maitotoxin… that’s derived from parasites in fish, isn’t it? But… there’s no antidote so… I’m going to die here…” her voice now barely a whisper. “I can’t believe this. Today was supposed to be happy. Kyra was supposed to have a successful surgery and everything was supposed to be fine… but now Danny’s dead, Raf is in a coma, and I’m… I’m…” Evelyn buries her face in her hands as she begins to cry.

“Now isn’t the time to give up hope Evelyn. Because of Raf’s actions, you didn’t get much in your system so your symptoms aren’t as advanced. There may not be an antidote as yet, but I promise you that we’ll be working round-the-clock to synthesize one.” Ethan tries to sound as confident as he can, his heart breaking to see Evelyn hurting.

“You won’t be alone.”

Everyone turns around to see that the statement had come from Tobias, as he, and several Mass Kenmore doctors approached them, all prepared to do whatever it takes.

As everyone heads down to the lab, Ethan lingers behind at the window.

“Are you okay, Ethan?”

“No, Evelyn, I’m not okay. But you don’t need to hear about that. You should try and get some rest. Have you slept at all?”

“No. I can’t stop thinking about Rafael. How long he can last… whether… whether it’s already…”

“…Do you want me to stay for a while?”

“Yes, please. If this is my last night alive, I want to spend it with you.”

“If I was in your position, I’d feel the same way about you.”

“Really?”

“Really, Evelyn.”

Suiting up and entering the room, he gently guides her to the bed.

“Now lie down. I know it sounds impossible, but I need you to relax and try to think about something happy.”

As she lies down, Ethan gently pulls up the covers around her.

“Something happy like what it would be like if we went on a date?”

“If that’s what makes you happy then sure.”

Her happiness leaves as quickly as it came.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just feel like there are so many things that I should have done.”

“Like what?”

“I should have loved more.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve spent the last decade focusing on college, med school, work, always guarding my heart because I might be in another city the next year. It makes me wonder… what could have been,” she confesses sadly.

Ethan is quiet for a long moment.

“Since we’re sharing regrets, do you mind if I share one of mine?”

“Go ahead.”

Reaching across, Ethan’s gloved hand finds hers.

“I wish I hadn’t asked you to stay away.”

“You do?” she asks surprised.

“We’ve wasted so much time. I’ve wasted so much time. I should have held you in my arms every day and told you how much I… how much I love you.”

“Ethan?”

“Shh… I just needed you to know… that no matter what happens… I love and care about you more than I can ever tell you.”

“I love you too, Ethan.”

“You do?”

“Of course! I thought you knew that already.”

“I did. It’s just so wonderful to hear you say it.”

“I wish I could kiss you.”

“Soon. You will soon.”

Joining her on the bed, he wraps his bulky arms around her as eyes begin to flutter closed.

“Evelyn? Can you please look at me?”

“Hmm?”

Forcing her eyes open, she looks at him through his helmet.

“Promise me that you’ll keep fighting. That you won’t give up. Oh, Evelyn… our story’s only just begun and it can’t end here. Please… please promise me.”

“…I… promise,” she whispers before falling asleep.

The next morning she wakes up to excruciating pain in her stomach. Doubling over, Ethan reaches across from the chair for her.

“It’s okay Evelyn, you’ll be alright!”

Feeling weaker than ever, she can barely make out the blurry figures running to her window.

“Evelyn! We did it!” Aurora shouts.

“Huh?”

Baz and June enter the room with the antidote as Tobias explains how they did it.

“What about Raf? He’s much sicker than I am…”

“We administered it to him, but too far there’s been no chance. It’s possible we’re already too late.” Sienna gloomily reveals.

“But he hasn’t gotten any worse, that has to mean something!” Elijah adds.

As Ethan gently injects the serum into her vein, he whispers into her ear.

“Hang in there, Evelyn.”

Over the next several anxious hours, June comes regularly to take her blood.

Slowly, her blood pressure stabilizes and the nausea begins to fade.

As Evelyn looks around, she realizes that the room no longer looks blurry.

“Get up.”

She turns around to see a hazmat suit free Ethan stroll into the room with a big smile on his face.

“You mean…”

“It worked. There’s no trace of toxin left in your bloodstream. Even if there are still traces in the room, we know now that we can-”

“Oh!”

Evelyn flies into Ethan's arms pulling him into a tight hug.

“…What you’re saying is I’m finally free to do this?”

“Yes. This too.”

He leans down capturing her lips in a passionate kiss as tears fall down both of their faces.

“Ethan, aren’t you worried that someone will see?”

“No. After almost losing you, I’ve decided that there are more important things to worry about than what people will think. I love you with all my heart, Evelyn Long.”

Through her tears, she smiles up at him.

“I love you too, Ethan.”

{Two Weeks Later}

Taglist: @mercury84choices @a-crepusculo @emmasumbrella @quixoticdreamer16 @headoverheelsforramsey @mm2305 @adiehardfan @schnitzelbutterfingers

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicesbookclub

Please let me know if you’d like to be added or removed❤️

[cardinalnuggets]

From replaying the first 2 chapters of oph1, the one thing that is blatantly clear is how the writing of oph3 isn’t anywhere close to being in the same league. Oph1 is so well-balanced and cohesive. They manage to give us time to interact with all the LIs (except Raf who we haven’t met yet), introduce all our friends/other characters who are going to be important in this story AND still deliver a great medical case. Nobody and no part of the story is sidelined. It all works together in harmony so everyone can find something about it they enjoy. THAT was why I fell in love with this book. It’s so so wonderful to be reminded of that so I don’t lose all of that to the anger I’ve been feeling over the later books.

[genevievemd]

Fellow Ethan romancers, let’s explore both options and their pain, shall we….

Option 1:

You know how hard it must be for Ethan to have to keep the door shut on MC. To see the desperation and fear in their face and know you can’t do anything.

It must have broken his heart, to have to put his feelings aside, his need to take MC out of the danger and protect them, in order to protect the thousands of other doctors and patients in the hospital.

At this point, they’ve kissed outside his apartment, admitted that he’s not single on national television, basically thrown the reset out the window. He’s probably been thinking for weeks about how they can make it work, he’s promised MC to talk about everything, and now he’s faced with the person he loves in grave danger.

And he can’t take them out of that danger. He has to keep them there, in order to save everyone else. And that must have been one of the hardest things for him to do.

Option 2:

This one I find more painful. Not because of what is said, but because of what isn’t.

See that. MC stops Ethan from coming into the room. Which means he was trying to get inside, trying to get to MC. He’s letting his feelings take over, unlike option 1, here he is Ethan Ramsey not Doctor Ramsey

In this moment, for once MC is the logical reasonable one and Ethan is the one leading with his heart, his feelings.

And it must have been so hard to tell that they’re in danger too. To see the fear in his face and have to make it even worse. Because I’m sure a small part of him was thinking “maybe they’re okay. Maybe they didn’t get hit.” And then MC hits him with “And I breathed some in.”

And reluctantly, he shoves Ethan down, and puts on his mask. He’s Doctor Ramsey again.

Because being Ethan, the man who is 100% already in love with MC, isn’t going to help.

(Now obviously this is just my interpretation of this scene, so you may not see it this way.)

[storyofmychoices]

Bryce + Olivia Aesthetics

@choicesaugustchallenge "just because" (I like pretty things for my OTP)

💖💖💖

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist]