#bryce x mc

[blackcatkita]

"All I can think about is getting you home."

Open Heart's Bryce and MC (Kayla in my case) commissioned by me from the wonderful, talented, marvelous @pilitella

Isn't it beautiful?!?! The detail, their gorgeous faces, Bryce's smirk, his creeping hand... ugh, these two, I can't.

Please do not use or share without giving credit to the very talented artist @pilitella

[icecoffee90]

I've been really disinterested in Choices lately but I just suddenly missed my babies a month ago, so I commissioned the incredible @/artbyainna on IG and as always, she did an amazing job! Not that you could ever expect anything else from her.

The idea behind this commission was simple - Bryce comforting my Open Heart MC, Joshua, after he is wakes up from a PTSD induced nightmare in the middle of the night.

[linkysmommy]

Excited to let everyone know that I've finally finished my Open Heart Storyloom fic! It took me a while with all the different romance variants, but it's finished now. Shout out to my friends Orc and Shionch for continually getting after me to finish, and for helping me with the final romance variants when I was oh so stuck.

You can play the full story here if you're on PC, or if you're on mobile, can find it on the Storyloom app by searching "Open Heart: A Toxic Situation." I hope you enjoy this little story I've put together, and thanks to everyone who's read it ❤️

Note: There is currently a bug in the final chapter where Asian MMC is Hispanic MMC. The fix has been submitted, but it won't be live until tomorrow, most likely.

[alj4890]

Mixed Signals

(Dr. Tobias Carrick x F!MC *Chris Valentine) (Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC*Chris Valentine) (Dr. Bryce Lahela x F!MC*Chris Valentine) in an Open Heart Fan fiction.

Masterlist

A/N Sorry for taking so long to post. My health decided to do some wild things since the last post on top of the writer's block just having a field day with this storyline 😑 Anyway, we'll pick up where the last chapter left off.

Chapter 2

Chris slowly came awake. Though she knew in an instant that she wasn't in her own bedroom, the massive hangover she was currently under caused her to not really care where she was. Pulling what had to be some of the softest sheets she'd ever felt up over her face, she began to try and remember what happened the night before.

Flashes of her celebration at Donahue's flickered through her mind. Groaning over not only her actions with drinking way too much, she remembered what happened with Ethan.

Her eyes shot open.

Oh no. Did I go home with Ethan?

Peeking out from under the covers, she tried to discern the furniture around her.

Unless Ethan had done a major renovation since the last time she'd been in his apartment and had moved to a lower floor, she knew she wasn't in his place.

Chris clutched her head.

I know I'm not at Bryce's either. He wouldn't have brought me to his place with Kikei there.

She softly gasped.

Don't tell me I went home with a stranger!

Chris kicked the covers back and breathed easier to see she was still fully dressed. There was no indication that anyone had slept beside her. She did a quick examination of her body and knew she hadn't had sex.

Where am I?

She yanked the covers up when the bedroom door opened.

Tobias grinned at her.

"You're awake."

Chris gaped at him. "I went home with you!?"

He chuckled as he walked into the room.

"You demanded that I bring you to my place."

"Oh lord." Chris buried her head in her hands. Smoothing back her tousled hair, she looked up at him. "I'm so sorry."

He shrugged it off as not a big deal and sat down at the foot of the bed.

"I didn't..." Chris took a deep breath. "I didn't push myself on you, did I?"

Before he could respond, she shook her head.

"Of course I bloody well did. Why else would I be in your home?" She rubbed her hands over her face in an attempt to clear the cobwebs. "You should have given me back to my roommates. Then you wouldn't--"

"Hey!" He chuckled once more. "Easy there, Valentine. Normally, a woman in your condition would not be in my home." He patted her leg. "But, um, you were adamant that your doctor take you to his home."

"My doctor?" Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember the events of the previous night.

He laughed at her confused expression.

"Yeah, Ethan was not too thrilled when you declared I was not only your doctor but also the only doctor you trusted."

Her eyes widened.

What else did I do last night?

"You also told your roommates that you needed me to take you home since you had some medical concerns."

She vaguely remembered talking to Sienna.

"Anyway, I was going to actually take you back to your apartment after your friends left." He explained. "When I checked your wallet for a driver's license--"

"You saw that I still had my I.D. from Inverness." She finished with a groan.

"As much as I wanted to get you safely home, I wasn't quite up for the journey to Scotland." He teased.

Chris flopped back on the pillows with her arm draped over her eyes. This was quite possibly the most embarrassing moment of her life.

She then remembered she should be at work.

"What time is it?!" She sat up too quickly and immediately regretted such a rash action.

"Half past two." Tobias told her.

"Half past--" She scrambled out of bed.

"Whoa!" Tobias stopped her. "Where are you going?"

"I'm late!" She searched in vain for her shoes. "My shift at the hospital started hours ago!"

"Chris." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "I called Ethan this morning and told him you weren't coming in."

"You did what?" Chris gaped at him. "Why?"

"As your physician," he winked at her, "I realized that I never gave you the all clear to return to work. Plus given how many drinks you had last night, I knew you wouldn't be in any condition to help your patients."

"Oh." She sank back down on the bed.

Tobias sat down next to her. He studied her worried profile in silence for a few seconds.

"Hey?" He nudged her with his shoulder. "Why don't you take a shower while I see about lunch?" He nudged her again. "Or breakfast for you?"

Chris snorted back a laugh. "Yes, please feed me after I forced my drunk self into your home."

Tobias grinned at her. "You can force yourself on me anytime."

She burst out laughing then gave him a playful shove.

He got to his feet to open a nearby closet.

"My sisters-in law leave clothes here so they don't have to pack so much when they come for a visit." He explained. "See if there's something of theirs that might do for now."

"I appreciate it," Chris began "but I shouldn't impose on you any--"

"You're not." He went into the guest bathroom to start the shower. "Plus, I insist you stay until I know you're okay."

With a smile that made her heart flip, he left her alone.

Twenty minutes later, Chris found herself clean, dressed in leggings that were too short and in what was supposed to be an oversized sweater, yet just barely went past her waist. She'd finally found a pair of wooly socks to keep her always cold feet warm and began to make her way downstairs, admiring Tobias's townhome along the way.

She paused in the hallway to discern just where her host was.

Tobias called out from a room farther to her left.

"I'm in here, Chris!"

She followed the sound of his voice, pausing at how inviting his kitchen was. Though modern, the warm colors he'd chosen for the walls, decor, and cushions somehow worked. It should have clashed, yet she found herself thinking of her grandparents' home. They had been given all new appliances a couple of years ago. The silver, sleek look met the older bread box, flower towels, and ruffled cushions and soon settled into a hodgepodge that they all ended up loving.

It made her homesick to sit down at Tobias's table.

"Coffee?" He asked from behind the counter.

"Please." Chris rubbed her forehead in an effort to clear the fog she was still slightly under.

"How do you take it?" He poured her a cup.

"Lots of cream and lots of sugar." She mumbled.

"How much is a lot?"

"More than true coffee aficionados can tolerate." She responded.

"This I have to see." Tobias teased.

He brought over the pot of coffee along with cream and sugar.

Chris blushed under his attention as she prepared her cup. Once she was finished, the rich black was replaced with a light beige color.

Tobias chuckled. "I bet you've gotten more speeches on your coffee from Ethan than you have medicine."

"You'd win that bet." Chris took a long sip, sighing in pleasure. "Don't tell me you're a coffee snob too?"

"I'm a to each their own coffee drinker." He teased. "Who am I to judge when I'll drink it any way someone prepares it? Though I will admit, I like mine with a little less cream than you do."

Chris rolled her eyes. "What about the sugar?"

Tobias leaned closer to her. "Who doesn't love something sweet?"

Having him close enough where she could see the flecks of gold in those amazing hazel eyes of his caused Chris to become momentarily tongue-tied.

His cocky smile creeped up at seeing her like this.

His attention next drifted over her face, taking in the strawberries and cream complexion he found rather cute. Her nose had a slight tilt that more than hinted at a stubbornness he'd been witnessed to on previous occasions. Her eyes held such emotion. Those gray eyes of hers could make a man hesitate for fear of wounding her.

How does Ethan keep it professional, he wondered. I don't know what I would do if the positions were reversed and she worked closely with me.

"So?" He cleared his throat and settled back in his chair. "Want to talk about last night?"

Chris's nose wrinkled at the very mention of it.

Tobias eyed her over the rim of his coffee cup. "You don't strike me as the kind of person who regularly gets drunk."

"Because I don't." She took another sip of coffee. "It was stupid of me to drink that much."

"What happened?" He prodded. "One minute, you seemed happy then the next you were downing drinks like you'd seen a ghost or something."

She snorted. If he only knew how right he was. There was nothing worse than a visit from the Ghost of Relationships Past.

Chris tried to avoid his question by focusing on her fork picking at the scrambled eggs on her plate.

Tobias wasn't going to let this go. If Chris really did consider him her doctor then he was going to make sure she was not only physically well after the attack but also emotionally. They were becoming friends after all. Weren't friends supposed to share problems?

He placed his hand on hers, causing the fork to slip from her grasp and clatter onto the plate.

Chris swallowed a tad hard before lifting her eyes back to his.

Tobias searched her steady, vulnerable gaze and gentled his tone.

"What's wrong, Chris?"

Unshed tears began to fill her eyes.

"I--I don't..." she sucked in a deep breath before burying her face in her hands.

Tobias got up and knelt by her chair. He gently brushed back her damp hair. As much as he wanted to demand she talk to him, he knew he could only wait and let it be her decision.

"I'm sorry." She lowered her hands.

"No need to apologize." He tucked her hair behind her ear. "If you don't want to talk about it, we--"

"I don't but I know I should." She took another deep breath. "It's a long story."

"Good thing it's my day off of work." He teased in the hopes of seeing her smile again.

Her lips curved briefly before falling once more. "I guess I should start at the beginning."

Tobias returned to his chair. He remained silent as Chris poured out everything that occurred since she first arrived at Edenbrook. There were many times he wanted to question her and express shock as she told him about her odd relationships with Ethan and Bryce.

Ethan hadn't been able to resist her after all, he thought to himself.

"And then Ethan pulled me away last night and it all began again." She explained. "After he kissed me and wouldn't say what we were, I just needed an escape. Not from him, but I needed to get away from myself."

Tears slipped down her cheeks.

"How can I go on in life in the same, exact, frustrating manner after being given a second chance?" She looked up at Tobias. "I should be making sure that nothing is wasted with this time I've been given, right?"

Tobias slowly nodded. "I think you shouldn't waste your time on anyone who doesn't give you what you deserve."

"Exactly!" Her breath hitched. "If I'm willing to give everything to someone, I should expect he give the same to me."

She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

"I know some say you should love without expecting anything in return." Her eyes searched his for understanding. "But I tried that and ended up miserable. I can't be that person again. I won't! It takes so much out of me and gives me nothing but mere crumbs to live on."

Tobias opened his mouth to reassure her again, only to fall silent when she continued.

"But what if I miss out? What if Ethan or Bryce is the one? What if I ruin what could be the relationship that will eventually give me what my heart needs? Am I suppose to fall back into what they want in case--"

"Whoa." He took her hands in his. "Easy there, Valentine. You're going down a rabbit hole of what if's."

"I know." She admitted. "That's all I do. I start off saying I won't put myself through this over and over and yet turn around and doubt my decision. I always end up here, questioning whether or not I should change anything."

Chris propped her chin on her fist while staring out of the kitchen's bay window.

"I am drowning in doubt." She admitted. "I am certain in everything I do in life except for love." She refocused on Tobias. "I don't know how to fix this."

Tobias didn't either. If she was suffering from the attack either physically or mentally, he'd have known exactly what to do. When it came to matters of the heart, he knew he was the last person who should give advice.

"The only thing I can recommend," he began a bit hesitantly, "is to only accept what makes you happy."

He took her hand once more. "As a friend of yours, I don't believe you should settle for anything less than what you want."

"That's what Sienna's been telling me for a while now." Chris mumbled.

"See? How can you ignore the advice coming from two different people?" He prodded.

Chris's lips quirked into a brief smile. "You and Sienna couldn't be any more different."

"It's a sign that it's the right thing to do." He argued. "You should tell Ethan and Bryce."

"Tell them?" Chris murmured. "You mean--"

"Tell them exactly what you want, what you expect, and see if they can step up and be that for you." Tobias told her. "Keeping it to yourself is only making you miserable. Plus, if they honestly don't know what you're wanting, how can they give it to you?"

Chris slowly nodded. She had tried to hint and kinda explain what she wanted each time with Ethan, but she'd never talked to him seriously about it. With Bryce, she kept things light and fun. Perhaps she was more responsible for her unhappiness than she originally thought.

"You know what you need?" He relaxed back in his chair. "You need a night out."

Chris blinked. "Isn't that what I did last night?"

"No, that was a celebration. You need a night out with no expectations, no questionable relationships, and no drunken escapes."

Tobias grinned at her. "You took me to your hangout. It's only fair you visit mine."

She began to laugh. "You sure you trust me to see where you love to go?"

"I guess I do." He murmured, grinning even more. "How bout it, Chris?"

"I really should get some sleep." She argued halfheartedly. "I have work in the morning."

"No, you don't." He reminded her. "Remember, I haven't given you the all clear yet."

Chris rolled her eyes over that.

"We both know I'm fine to go back to work."

"I don't." He laced his fingers behind his head to stretch. "You'll have to schedule an appointment with me for a final checkup." He winked at her. "Nice try, but there's no getting out of tonight."

Chris motioned to herself. "I don't have anything to wear."

"I'll take you by your place to change on the way." Tobias got up to clear their plates. "What do you say?"

Seeing no way out of this and was a little curious over where he went to unwind, she decided to give in. Chris admitted to herself that having a drink somewhere without Ethan or Bryce to distract her might be just the change she needed.

Plus, it might help her get the courage up to talk to them.

"If my doctor insists, -" Chris mumbled.

"I do." Tobias interrupted

"Then, I'd love to."

[rosepetals1]

Bryce Lahela x Jensen Valentine

this is a gift for @mydemonsdrivealimo of their bryce and jensen for the trick or treat gift exchange!

i must admit, i haven't read oph so i really hope i captured their vibes correctly 😅

i hope you like it!!

@choicesfandomappreciation

[hannabanana-6]

Jealous

Bryce flirts with a surgical intern at Donahues.

Gosh, Bryce was pretty. Casey gazed at him across the bar, chatting to the surgical interns. He looked great, in his loose fit dark wash jeans and forest green sweatshirt, which was just tight enough to highlight the taught curves of his arm muscles. He was laughing easily with a pretty surgical intern, which bothered Casey more than she cared to admit. She knew this girl had a crush on Bryce - to be honest, most of the women and probably half of the men in the hospital had a crush on Bryce. She couldn’t blame this girl; after all, she was definitely gazing at Bryce with the same starry-eyed look that this girl was right now. Bryce could sleep with this girl if he wanted.

It was nothing to do with her, really. They weren’t official. But at this point, Casey had stopped sleeping with other people as her feelings for Bryce were growing. To be honest, she hadn’t really wanted to sleep with anyone else at all after Bryce stayed at hers after the housewarming party she had with her housemates. She’d been half-heartedly joking when she said he had ruined sex with anyone else for her, but actually it was true. Sex with anyone else couldn’t even compare to Bryce. It just wasn’t the same with anyone else. Casey frowned. She should go over and interrupt them, she decided. Her head was fuzzy, and several tequila shots had given her courage. Yes, she should go over and make Bryce forget that pretty surgical intern.

“Earth to Casey?” Sienna giggled.

“Huh?” Casey questioned, slurring slightly.

“Sorry, wouldn’t want to interrupt you thirsting after Scalpel Jockey over there.” Jackie joked, her nose curling in slight distaste, while the rest of the group fell about laughing.

“We’re just—” Casey started.

“Friends!” the rest of the group chorused back, further dissolving into giggles.

Casey gave them the finger.

“I’m going to get another drink.” She stated, swaying slightly as she rose to her feet.

“Maybe get some water babes.” Sienna laughed.

“Wimps. All of you. Casey, get more tequila.” Jackie commanded.

As Casey waited in line at the bar, a strong pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. Casey leaned back into Bryce, inhaling his musky, piney scent.

“Saw you practically eye-fucking me, Valentine. It was a little distracting.” Bryce smirked.

“You and that ego.” Casey groaned, “And here I thought you were thinking of taking that surgical intern home.”

Bryce twisted her around to face him, and put a finger underneath her chin, tilting her face up.

“Jealous, Valentine?” He murmured.

“Take me home and I’ll show you.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” Bryce grinned, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the exit.

On their way out, Casey stopped to tell her friends goodbye.

They all smiled knowingly, while Jackie feigned a look of outrage and asked who was getting her shots.

After, they lay tangled together in Bryce’s bed, sweaty and satisfied. Bryce stroked her hair tenderly, a soft smile on his face that Casey knew was reserved just for her.

“That was incredible, Case.”

“Best sex ever.” Casey mumbled drunkenly, before gasping and clapping a hand over her mouth.

Bryce laughed and pulled her on top of him.

“Yeah? Say that again.”

Casey rolled her eyes at him and attempted to roll off him, but his arms circled around her, keeping her trapped.

“No chance, Lahela. Your ego barely fits through the door anyway.” Casey mumbles.

“It shouldn’t, if I’m the best you’ve ever had. I should have a sign. I should win a medal. You’ve had lots of sex.” He teased, grinning widely.

“You’re one to talk.” Casey laughed.

Bryce looked at her, seeming serious for a moment.

“Do you still have lots of sex?” He questioned.

“Bryce, we have sex nearly every day, so I’d say yes.” Casey rolled her eyes again.

“You know what I mean.” Bryce whispered, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth.

“Who else would I possibly have time to sleep with?” Casey laughed.

Bryce’s eyes were still looking at her searchingly so she sighed.

“I’m only sleeping with you Bryce.” She admitted shakily, “I’ve only wanted to sleep with you since the housewarming party.”

Her heart sped up as she awaited a response. Was that too much? It was Bryce who’d asked, although she had been desperately wanting to ask him herself for a while. Maybe he was asking because he was sleeping with other people though, maybe her jealousy was too much. Casey realised Bryce hadn’t answered. Her still slightly inebriated brain scrambled for a way that she could take this back, sort out this situation.

“I don’t want to sleep with anyone else either, Case.” Bryce breathed, his voice sounding slightly awed.

“Really?” Casey was practically beaming, her eyes sparkling as she finally looked him in the eye.

“I haven’t wanted to sleep with anyone else since we made out in the supply closet. I think you’ve ruined sex with anyone else for me anyway as well.” Bryce admitted bashfully.

“What about that pretty surgical intern?” Casey asked, pouting as she remembered her earlier jealousy.

Bryce gave her his trademark dazzling smirk.

“I just wanted to see you all jealous, Valentine. I guess it worked.” He winked.

“I wasn’t jealous. I don’t get jealous.” Casey grumbled stubbornly.

She expected Bryce to keep teasing her, giving her their usual flirty banter and sarcastic jokes.

“I won’t flirt if you don’t want me to, Case. I like what we have.” Bryce said softly, his voice laced with genuine emotion.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Casey burrowed her head into the crook of his neck and wrapped her body around him.

“Me too.” She sighed happily.

[storyofmychoices]

Happy New Year!!!

Bryce & Olivia are ready to celebrate the start of a new year! 💛💛💛

This lovely piece is by irdeinfierno on Instagram

Prompts: @choicesjanuarychallenge: New Years Eve/New Year's Day (Midnight) ; @choicesholidays "Meet me at midnight"

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist]

[distraughtlesbian]

bryce lahela in the edenbrook OR, taking out mc’s organs: intestines, slay. liver, slay. spleen, slay. appendix……..FLOP!

mc: can yuo turn the lady gaga down it’s making the anaesthetic wear off

[somewillwin]

Bryce x Mc request from @lovealexhunt ♥️ thanks for the support

Click here if you wanna be part of the kofi event

[eadanga]

After Hours

Gabby walks through the hallways of the hospital checking on all the patients. Soon as she sees that all the patients are good she takes a deep breath Everyone is good looks like I’m done for the day she heads to the locker room and pulls off her scrubs soon as she reaches for her clothes she feels a pair of arms around her waist pulling her into an familiar embrace she smirks “What are you doing Byrce?”

“Well you’re done with your shift and I’m done with my shift and your standing here naked damn it turns me on”

Gabby giggles “Were you waiting for me to get naked?”

“Maybe” He growls “I can’t wait to ravish you”

“Me too but you need to let me get dressed so that we can head to your place”

“No” He spins her around and pushes her against the locker “I want you now” He kisses her deeply

“Bryce…someone can walk in”

“I locked the door” He trails kisses up and down her neck

“Oh so you planned for this huh?” She giggles as she wraps her arms around his neck

“You were teasing me all day walking while shaking your ass”

Gabby laughs as she playfully smacks him “I was not teasing!”

He chuckles “Yes you were I saw you smirking as you walked by me”

“I deny all allegations”

He laughs as he kisses her deeply her arms go under his shirts she feels his rock hard abs he pulls away and pulls off his shirt “Is this want you wanted to see?”

“Mmmm yes”

He kisses her neck and his hand go under her bra caressing her breast while one hand goes in her underwear “Fuck you’re so wet for me”

“Mmmm Bryce that feels so good”

“I love it when you say my name it’s hot” He unclasps her bra and sucks on her nipples as she moans “Are you ready for me?”

“Yes”

He pulls down her underwear then pulls down his pants. He lifts up as her legs wrap around his waist. He thrusts into her as she moans loudly

“Oh fuck you feel so good Gab”

“Mmmm don’t stop Byrce”

He thrusts into her as her moans get louder and louder she holds him tightly

“Oh God Bryce I’m gonna come”

“Fuck that’s it baby come”

“Byrce!” She comes with him following after her she moans loudly holding him tightly as they catch their breath she smiles “That was awesome”

“Yes it was” He sets her down wraps her in his arms “I can’t wait for round 2 when we get home”

“Me too your place or mine?”

Bryce smiles “How about our place?”

“What do you mean?” Byrce holds up a set of keys and jingles it ‘Bryce did you?”

“Yeah I got us our own place”

Gabby’s eyes go wide “Really? When was this?”

“A couple of months ago if been searching for our own apartment for a while so you wanna go see it”

Gabby grins “Of course thought I wish you told me I would have loved to help out”

“That’s why it was a surprise” He nuzzles her neck “I want you in my bed every night I wanna wake up to you make you breakfast lunch and dinner and spend every minute with you”

“Aww Byrce” She kisses him softly “I love you of course I’ll move in”

“I love you too” He kisses her deeply

Tags: @mfackenthal @indiacater @the-soot-sprite

[thefirstcourtesan]

This is one of those moments I have always meant to elaborate on in fic. Because in my world Meredith and Bryce are a thing but she keeps holding back and part of it is Ethan and I feel like this is the moment that at least partially clicked for Bryce.

[myglassesareinkansas]

the meaning of aloha

Book: Open Heart

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x F!MC

Rating: Gen

Warnings: Angst, Discussion of Death

Summary:

aloha (n.): love, affection, peace, compassion, and mercy; a force that holds together existence

Bryce receives the worst news of his life, and to make it worse, he's in love with Casey. And she's about to die.

Tagging: @openheartfanfics, @choicesficwriterscreations, and @mydemonsdrivealimo

AO3 Link: Here

His entire body trembles, but he holds his head high as he pushes his way past the other doctors. Most of them whisper amongst themselves in the hallways, and here and there, he catches words like anthrax and ricin. There’s a pair of attendings wondering how Casey isn’t dead right now. Others who say they hope Travis suffers.

The nurses huddle around their station, and Bryce stumbles over his feet. Marlene rubs Sienna’s back as she lowers herself into one of the chairs.

“I had a date with Danny tomorrow,” she says, looking up with puffy eyes. “What’s—Marlene, what’s going to happen to him? Sarah? Does anyone know what’s happening to Casey?”

He dips his head, trying to remain nondescript as he shoves open the stairwell door.

“Bryce?”

He ignores her.

“Bryce!” Esme reaches out and grabs his arm. “What’s going on?”

He swallows and shakes her hand off of him. “I just need to go, Esme. Ask Ethan. Or anyone else, really, I just—I need to go.”

She frowns and locks her hand around his wrist. “Like hell. Are you seriously going to leave your girlfriend behind now? When she needs you most?” With her free hand, she points furiously back upstairs. “I know she’s in there! I know my resident is fighting for her life! And like a coward, you’re running away.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not running away.”

“Sure looks like it to me.”

Bryce squeezes his eyes shut, begging his tears to stay away. “Jackie and Elijah are off today. Unless Casey or Sienna texted them, they have no way of knowing what just happened in there. They need to know—” They need to know that Casey might be dead tonight. He shakes his head again and pries Esme’s hand off his wrist. “And I need to make sure my little sister will be safe tonight.”

Esme blinks. “Do you think—”

“Esme, I’ve gotta go.” He doesn’t wait for her response, just sprints down the stairs. His lungs burn, from tears or from running, he doesn’t know.

People call his name. Surgical residents congratulate him on Kyra’s surgery. The one he kicked out of the OR glares at him. Ines tries to talk to him. He can’t hear them. His ears ring, and he grabs his keys and sprints outside.

Once he’s in his car, he breathes deeply. Or at least, he tries to. His breaths come fast and shallow, his hands shake, and he rests his head on his steering wheel.

Fuck.

His body starts to shake again, and as he’s reaching for the blanket in his car — the one that Casey told him to keep on hand, with how cold he gets in Boston weather and how traffic is — the shaking stops, and he bursts into tears.

“Fuck!” He buries his face in his hands, a sob tearing from the back of his throat. “Fucking —” he slams his left hand on the top of the steering wheel “— dammit!” His shoulders curl inwards, and sobs rack his body.

She can’t die. She can’t die. I can’t lose her. I can’t—

The sobs come louder now, and he hasn’t cried like this since he was eighteen years old, and he was flying all the way to Ohio State by himself, with no money, no family, and no friends. He hasn’t cried like this since his favorite teacher, the one who believed in him, the one who believed he could be a great surgeon like Michael DeBakey, fell victim to his parents’ schemes and looked at him with such hurt and betrayal every day of the year after that. He hasn’t cried like this since he was alone and unloved and unlovable, when life was hopeless and he had to carve out hope for himself.

Except there’s not hope now, not really.

Casey’s his best friend, his girlfriend, and he just—he cares about her so much. Everything inside of him begs God to rewind the clock, to put him in that room with the senator when Travis deployed the canister, to let him take Casey’s place. If one of us has to die, let it be me. Not her. Don’t let her die.

I love her.

He screams, his voice scratching the back of his throat, his fingers tugging at his hair. Why did it take so long for me to know? Why did I have to wait?

I love her. I love her I love her I love her.

And she’s going to die.

***

“Okay, Keiki, I’m not going to be back until tomorrow at the earliest.” Bryce moves into his bedroom, chewing his bottom lip. He idly picks up his overnight back and sets it down.

Keiki leans against the doorframe, her arms crossed over her chest. “Why?”

He sighs and grabs a fresh pair of scrubs and shoves them into his bag. “I told you, there was an assassination attempt at the hospital. They might need me.”

“There are other surgeons.”

He stands up straight, dropping his boxers on the cover. “Casey was a victim of the attack, too. She’s alive —” he nearly chokes on the next words “—for now, but it’s not looking good. One person died already, one’s in a coma, and I don’t think Raf has too much time either.” He shakes his head and moves into the bathroom. “I’m going to stay with her.”

Keiki bites the inside of her cheek and steps into his bedroom. “Anything I can do?”

Bryce tosses his toiletry bag onto the bed and drops to the ground, fishing under his bed for a pair of shoes. “Uh, can you try and find my green sweatshirt? The one from my surfing days? It’s Casey’s favorite.”

She nods and starts rifling through his closet.

“You know the drill: leftovers in the fridge, and you can use my DoorDash account if there’s nothing in there. Don’t leave the apartment unless there’s an emergency, you have my number and Case—” he swallows. “If there’s some kind of danger, go to Mrs. Zimmerman across the hall. She’s a sweet old lady, makes the best cakes, and she’ll take care of you.”

“I know the drill.” Keiki steps away from the closet, a sweatshirt folded over her arm. “I couldn’t find the one you were talking about, but I’ve seen Casey wear this one before.”

Bryce tosses a pair of tennis shoes on his bed and grabs the sweatshirt from Keiki. “Dammit, Casey must still have it at her place. Alright, this is fine.” He kisses Keiki’s head. “Thanks, Keiks. You know I love you, but…”

He’s never said it out loud before.

She nods understandingly and sits on his bed. “You love Casey more.”

He nods in agreement. “Yeah.”

“Have you told her?”

He ignores her, roughly shoving his clothes and shoes into his overnight bag. When he gets to the sweatshirt, he folds it carefully. Casey might not be able to wear it just yet, not while she’s in a hospital gown, but maybe…

“Can you grab the blanket from the couch? Not the one you use for bed, the other one?”

She frowns. “You didn’t answer my question, Bryce.”

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “What do you think?” He shakes his head and stalks to the living room. “And now she might die before I can tell her.”

Keiki trails him. “So then tell her! What’s the worst that can happen?” She hops over the coffee table and sits on the blanket before Bryce can pull it to safety. “She already knows the worst stuff about you, and she stuck around.” She clears her throat and shifts on the blanket so he has no chance of pulling it away. “And if she doesn’t have the same feelings, well…at least you told her.”

“Keiks, I—I don’t know. I just…”

She stands up, eyes on fire. “Bryce Kai Lahela, you do not have the luxury of waiting. With Morgan, yeah, I understand. You were in high school, and Mom and Dad fucked her family over. But that’s not Casey. Please, just…don’t do something you’ll regret.” She hands him the blanket. “Tell her.”

He kisses her forehead. “See you tomorrow.”

***

Jackie runs up to him as soon as he steps back out of his car. “Where the hell were you?”

He glares at Jackie and slams his car door shut. His car beeps when he locks it. “In case you forgot, I have a little sister under my guardianship. I had to make sure she would be okay.” He shakes his overnight bag in her face, his keys also jingling with the movement. “Also, had to pack one of these. Like hell if I leave my girlfriend behind.”

She ducks her head. “Sorry, I just—”

He nods and shoulders his way inside. “I know. You’re worried about her. All of us are.” He clears his throat. “Where’s Elijah?”

Jackie walks in front of him. “Follow me.”

“Jackie, please —”

She turns and shushes him before grabbing his wrist. Dragging him along, she leads him into the locker room, where Elijah is just finishing up a call.

“Alright. Tell me if it reminds you of anything.” He turns around, face falling when he sees Bryce. “Sorry, that was one of my undergrad professors. He taught history of medicine and science, so I was hoping he knew something about reactions to biological weapons. Maybe something useful.” He lifts one shoulder in a half shrug. “Shoulda known better, though. He hasn’t done any research on this topic for decades.”

Bryce opens his locker and tosses his overnight bag inside. “That’s okay. It might help, and he might go through his research. Or talk to someone who might know.” He jerks his head in the direction of Casey’s room. “C’mon, let’s go see her.”

Jackie holds up a finger. “Hold on, Aurora’s on her way.”

Aurora runs inside the hospital a few minutes later, shoving past the handful of security guards — all of them shaken — with a shout and “I’m Harper Emery’s niece, let me in!” When she reaches the three of them, she slows to a walk and smooths her hair. “Where is she?”

“Follow me.” They stop at the nurses’ station to pick up Sienna, and then Bryce is jogging to the elevator, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Jackie rests a hand on his shoulder.

“She’ll be alright.”

He stares straight ahead. “You didn’t see her. Or Raf.” He hangs his head. “Fuck.”

“Either way,” Jackie shakes him a bit, “Casey’s probably scared out of her fucking mind. She trusts you. She loves you. Don’t make her more afraid than she already is.”

He lolls his head. “How in the hell am I supposed to do that?”

The elevator door dings and slides open. Jackie twists her lips. “I don’t know.”

Bryce leads them down the hall towards Casey’s room. As they get closer, he squares his shoulders and forces a smile, but he knows it doesn’t reach his eyes. And he knows Casey will notice it, too.

Casey gapes at them when they get to her room. She offers him a relieved smile and holds her hand up to the glass. His bravado melts into something more sincere, and though his smile isn’t as wide, it’s genuine, and he presses his hand against the glass. “Told you I’d be back. This time I brought some company.”

Her roommates crowd the front of the windows, speaking animatedly to her and Raf. He wants to sag against the wall and cry and cry and cry some more, but he tries to keep a brave face on. For her or for himself, he’s not entirely sure.

Ethan steps back and stands next to him. “It’s good. That you’re doing this, I mean. It’s helping her.”

He shrugs, his eyes still trained on Casey. “I wanted her to see her friends. They’re important to her.”

“So are you.” Ethan studies him for a moment. “How are you holding up?” He jerks his head in Casey’s direction. “She talks about you all the time, you know. And I’ve seen you two together.”

Bryce resists the urge to cross his arms. “So?”

“So this has to be just as hard on you for an entirely different reason.” Ethan sighs and squeezes his shoulder. “Look, in my experience, it’s just as difficult to deliver bad news to loved ones as it is to deliver the bad news to the patient. In fact, I think it’s harder. So how are you holding up?”

Bryce licks his lips. “It sucks,” he says quietly.

Ethan nods and faces forward once again. “I wish we’d never taken the senator on as a patient. Not that I’d wish this even on Tobias, but maybe…”

Maybe Casey wouldn’t have been caught in the crossfire.

He nods. “Yeah.”

Jackie gestures around at the lot of them. “We’re going to figure this out. All of us.”

Bryce steps forward and tries to force a smile. “I’m just a surgeon, but I’ll offer whatever help I can.” And it’s fucking nothing.

Casey’s eyes well with tears, and she shuffles closer. “Now’s not the time for that confidence of yours to do a runner, Bryce.”

Sienna cranes her neck to see him. “Yeah, you’re not just anything.”

He meets Casey’s gaze, and he prays she can read the love in his eyes. I’ll do whatever I can to save you. “Sorry, I mean we’ve got this.”

Casey wipes her cheeks furiously. “That’s better.”

Everything in him wants to reach for her, to tug her into his arms and bury his face in the crook of her neck, to squeeze her hair and whisper that he loves her. He wants to hold her hand and kiss her face and cradle her cheeks in his hands.

But in between them is a wall of glass, impenetrable, separating the dying from the living. “See you soon, Case.”

***

Baz leans back in his chair, shaking his head solemnly.

Bryce’s heart sinks. “So June was wrong?” We don’t have much time left.

“No,” Baz says, scratching the stubble on his chin, “June was right. It’s a maitotoxin.”

A heart-wrenching sob tears from Sienna’s throat. Elijah reaches up to rub her shoulder in consolation. Ethan pinches the bridge of his nose and leans against the wall. Jackie sets her chin, tears filling her eyes.

Bryce swallows, furrowing his brow. “But —” his blood runs cold, and he shudders as a shiver runs up his spine. “Fuck, there’s no cure for that.” He searches for a friend in the lab, but Sienna’s sobbing, Elijah’s fighting his own tears, Jackie won’t meet his eye, and he knows no one else except Ethan. He holds Ethan’s eye. “Casey’s—that means Casey’s going to die?”

The crushing weight of it all threatens to gut him. He stands up, and he nearly pitches forward. His stomach lurches, and whether that’s from a need to vomit or from the sobs threatening to bubble up, he doesn’t know. “I’m going to lose her,” he whispers.

Baz reaches out and catches his wrist. “She’s not gone yet.” With his free hand, he rubs his forehead. “We’ll try and save Rafael too, of course, but Casey’s lucky because she didn’t get as much of the toxin. She might survive.”

Bryce shakes off his hand. “Baz, what are the chances of her making it?” He shoves his hand through his hair, his chest heaving. “There’s no cure. And even if you guys could make one, she doesn’t have weeks! She doesn’t even have days! She —”

Ethan crosses the room quickly and sets both hands on his shoulders. “I know you care about her —”

Bryce shoves Ethan away. “Like hell! She’s my girlfriend, and I lo—” he sucks in a deep breath. “What can you all do? None of you are God! She’s going to die here, and if not tonight, then tomorrow, and —” his knees buckle. Ethan wraps an arm around him and helps lower him to the ground.

No one speaks.

***

He doesn’t know how his feet move. Right now, it feels like he can’t breathe, like his lungs stop before he can breathe in. His body trembles with each step, and yet, he can’t move quickly enough, can’t wait to stand in front of Casey’s room and see her alive for one of the last times.

Bryce squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head once. Tears escape down his cheeks, and he quickly reaches up to swipe them away. Sienna cries softly, her head on Jackie’s shoulder. In front of him, he can hear Elijah sniffling. The diagnosticians try to exude confidence, try and hold their chins high, but Baz’s eyes fill with tears.

And Casey will know it’s bad news.

She’s so far away from him.

He would do anything to trade places with her, even just to be in the same room as her and hold her and kiss her and tell her that he loves her and everything will be okay, but the glass windows that separate the living from the dying hold firm. Her face falls when her eyes meet his.

She swallows. “What is it?”

Ethan sighs deeply and runs a hand through his hair. Baz turns his head and swipes at his cheeks. Only June seems to have any level of composure.

“It’s a maitotoxin,” Ethan says. “One I’ve never seen before.” His voice gets quieter the more he explains.

Bryce finds himself gently shouldering himself forward, hand itching to touch the glass, to assure Casey that he’s there for her.

“We’ll find a way,” Ethan says. “We’ll fix this.”

Jackie lifts her chin. “You have the smartest diagnostic minds and the best residents at the hospital on this case. We’ll definitely find a cure with the nine of us working on it.”

“Make that more.” Aurora waves Tobias and a few other Mass Kenmore doctors forward. “I present you the best minds Mass Kenmore can offer.”

Bryce doesn’t hear much else, but he meets Aurora’s eyes, then Tobias’s, and prays that they can see what his voice fails to say. Thank you. Thank you for giving her another chance at life.

The diagnosticians wave goodbye to Casey and head back to the lab, but he stays by the window. He puts his hands in his white coat pocket, takes them out, and shakes them a little bit. When Casey tilts her head, studying him, he tries to force a smile. It won’t reach his eyes.

He clears his throat. “It’s all gonna be okay, Casey. I promise.” I pray. I pray, I promise. He shuffles closer. The glass is too damn thick.

She sniffles and presses her lips together. “You don’t have to be optimistic for my sake.” A stray tear falls down her cheek, and she reaches up to rub it away with her thumb.

Bryce sighs and licks his lips. His own eyes well with tears. This is harder than I thought it could be. She’s so small, and her body jerks with shivers. Her knees buckle, and she sways on her feet, but she refuses to move back to her bed. She stays with him, and he will stay with her, until death do them part.

“…I’m not,” he admits. “It’s for my sake. If I don’t stay optimistic —” he shakes his head ruefully, lifting his hand to the glass again, “— I’m gonna fucking lose it.” He breathes in shakily, past the point of caring about the unshed tears in his eyes. “I can’t let myself do that. Not yet.”

She steps forward and lifts both hands to the glass.

He presses his forehead to the window. “Not while there’s still hope,” he whispers.

“Bryce, I’m scared,” she whispers, her voice carrying through the glass. “I’m going to die tonight.”

His heart twinges. “What if I stayed with you for a while? Would that help? There’s another hazmat suit out here.” And he hates it, hates that he can only see her while wrapped in twenty pounds of plastic and completely unable to feel her skin, unable to kiss her, to press his forehead to hers. But it’s something, it would allow him to be with her, and he would cut off ten years of his life for the opportunity to be with her now.

She nods quickly. “Please stay with me tonight.”

Immediately, he suits up. Doesn’t give a damn whether or not he’s actually doing it right, but he saw June, Baz, and Ethan all do it before — twice, actually — and he’s itching to get in there and hold his girlfriend in his arms. As soon as he can, he steps through the decontamination tent, and envelops Casey in his arms.

She sighs in relief, her left arm tucked under his right and her right arm wrapped tightly around his neck. “Thank you,” she whispers, and he’s almost certain he can hear her tears dripping onto his hazmat suit.

He squeezes her tighter. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” If I could’ve done anything — maybe I should’ve stayed in Kyra’s surgery, maybe invited her to watch, gotten lunch with her — maybe…

There’s nothing more in the world he wants to do than kiss her, so he settles on pulling her as close to himself as he dares, with her lungs as weak as they are.

She shakes her head. “It’s not your fault.”

He nods. “I know. I know it’s not—it’s only Travis’s and maybe that shit senator’s. But I’m so sorry. I wish I could do more.”

Casey steps away from him and studies him.

Bryce clears his throat and forces his smile again. It comes a bit easier, now that he can hold her in his arms. “So, am I handsome? Or am I somehow even more handsome in this suit? Be honest and know that I only accept constructive criticism in the form of praise.” His heart hammers in his chest.

At the sound of her telltale giggle, he relaxes. “It’s not quite doing it for me, I’m not going to lie. Still handsome and still the best eye candy in the hospital, but I’m docking points because I can’t see your hair.”

He nods solemnly. “Fair. My hair is my best feature.” Casey giggles again, and instinctively, he reaches out to brush his fingers over her cheek. “Let’s try and get your mind off this. What’s your favorite thing?”

She twists her lips. “You,” she says so quietly that he’s not sure he heard her right.

“Yeah?” he asks, the first genuine smile gracing his lips since this morning.

She nods again. “Yeah.”

“Doesn’t surprise me. Not to make you feel like you’re not special, but I’m a lot of people’s reason for living.” Please keep living. Keep fighting. If for no other reason, then for me.

Her jaw drops and she gently shoves him. “No fair! You asked me my favorite thing, not my reason for living. In light of the new phrasing, I’m changing my answer to ‘pictures of cute animals.’”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “Okay, fair. Even I can’t be mad at that.”

She smiles brightly, in deep contrast to how frail her body is. Reaching out, she brushes his helmet. “Gosh, you’re pretty.”

And he doesn’t know why that cripples him, why that brings the tears back into his chest, but his smile falls, and he bites back tears. For her sake. She can’t know how scared he is.

Her eyes widen. “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

He shakes his head rapidly. “No.” He clears his throat. “I just…Case, I really am trying to stay positive. We both have to. But…but when I heard you were in danger, my heart stopped.” He holds his hand up to his stomach. “It dropped. I was so scared for you, Case. I was terrified, and I don’t—I’ve never been that scared before, and I pray to God I don’t have to be again.”

Casey nods, avoiding his eyes. She holds her left elbow in her hand, her free arm hanging limply at her side. “I know what you mean.”

Bryce squeezes her arm. “I called your parents.”

She sniffles, eyes flicking to his. “They’re visiting my brother in Oregon.”

“They said that. They’re gonna get here as soon as they can. Apparently, Logan’s also trying to make it up here, but they told me to tell you that it might be hard.”

“I wish I had my phone. Just so I could talk to them, y’know.” Her tears are flowing more freely. “To say goodbye.” She clears her throat and looks up at him. “I’m glad I got that with you, at least.”

He cups her face in his plastic gloved hands. Theoretically, he could chicken out right now. Could just tell her that she means a lot to him, more than she knows, but it’s her last night, and he would hate himself if he never told her. “I love you, Casey. More than you know, probably. And the idea of losing you…” his throat closes, a rock forming, so he shakes his head ruefully. He meets her eyes. “I love you so very much, Casey Grace Valentine. More than anything.”

Despite the saddened goodbye, the desperate reveal, her smile is genuine, and despite the plastic helmet on his head, she stands on her tiptoes and kisses the front of his mask. “I love you, too, Bryce Lahela. More than anything, and more than anyone.” Casey shuffles forward and presses her forehead to his chest. He wraps his arms around her. “And if tonight’s my last night on earth, then you’re the one I want to spend it with.”

He clears his throat, trying to avoid propping his chin on her head. It couldn’t be comfortable. “Well, damn, Casey. Talk about bittersweet.”

She steps back and twines her fingers in his. “So maybe we can just focus on the sweet part?”

Bryce nods. “You should get some rest.” He hates saying it, because as long as she’s awake, he knows she’s alive, and he can hear her voice, can share whispered I love yous between them, but her body is fighting to give her even the smallest chance, and she keeps swaying on her feet.

Nodding, she shuffles to the bed, but as soon as she reaches it, she turns to face him. “Would you hold me?”

His smile is watery. “I’d love to, Casey.” The setup is awkward, with the tiny hospital bed and his bulky hazmat suit, but they make it work, and he curls around her body, pulling her as close to himself as he can manage. If he closes his eyes, he thinks he can feel her heartbeat against his chest. But he can also hear it on the monitor, and right now, that’s the most beautiful sound in the world to him.

Well. Second, really, only to Casey’s voice.

She runs her fingers over his suit. “I wish I could feel your skin.”

He shifts, trying to assure her of their closeness. “You will.”

With her back to him, he can’t see her tears, but he can hear them in her voice and when she sniffles. “I wish I could kiss you.”

His heart shatters, and he hates, he despises how this might be her last night, and they won’t even share a last kiss. But she doesn’t need his anger or depression now, she needs assurance. She needs the unshakable Bryce Lahela, so he forces confidence into his voice and props himself up so she can hear him better. “Sorry, was I mumbling? You will, Casey. You’re going to get through this.”

She tugs him back to their original position, his arm draped tightly over her stomach. “Bryce, there’s not a cure for a maitotoxin. If I don’t die tonight, I die tomorrow. And—and I won’t be able to kiss you one last time, or feel your skin. I won’t be able to run my hands through your hair again or—or make love with you again or anything.” She chokes on a sob. “And that’s not to mention my roommates or my family. They’re downstairs, working on a cure that will probably come too late instead of saying goodbye.”

“Or they’re saving your life.”

“It will be too late!” she shouts. “I’m going to die, Bryce. You’re a surgeon. We’re both doctors, so you and I both know that I’m not walking out of this alive.”

He sighs deeply. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with hoping right now, Case. It’s all we have.”

Her shoulders shake. “I’m scared, Bryce. Just…tell me it’ll be okay.”

Bryce brushes her hair away from her neck. “It will be, Casey, I really believe that. Ethan and the others will come through.” He pulls her so close to him that the plastic probably does no good, but he couldn’t care less. “Until then,” he says, “just stay with me.”

She nods. “I love you. So much.”

He wishes he could kiss her. “I love you, too.”

***

He doesn’t sleep. His body wants to, of course, but the adrenaline still pulses through his veins, and the idea that if he closes his eyes, Casey might stop breathing and her heart might stop beating is too much for him to bear, so he keeps himself awake.

He prays, too. Not because he’s particularly religious, but if there’s one thing he has left, it’s hope, and he can’t see where God or the universe would hold it against him to hope, to pray. He doesn’t know who to pray to, really, so he just throws it out there and hopes something sticks. It has to. It has to.

Around five or six in the morning — Bryce can’t see the clock around all the plastic covering, but the sun is rising — Casey wakes up with a jerk, looks around wildly, catches his eye, and retches into the sick bag by her bed. He bites his lip and rubs her back soothingly. When the nausea stops, she leans back into his chest, blinking tiredly.

“I hate this,” she says. Her lips are dry.

With his plastic-covered hands, he smooths her hair away from her face. “Do you have a hair tie?”

She shakes her head, but there’s a small smile on her mouth. “Guess I didn’t die last night, after all.”

He squeezes her shoulder. “See? There’s still hope.”

The bags under her eyes have grown darker. Vomit crusts the corners of her mouth. She can’t stop shivering, and she keeps scratching her skin. Her voice is weak.

There’s still hope, he said, but she just keeps getting worse. He can hope and pray all he wants, but her death is fast-approaching, and if the other doctors can’t come through by this afternoon…

Ethan, Baz, and June walk into the room. Casey’s roommates crowd around the window, Sienna nearly bouncing on the balls of her feet. Jackie smiles, and Elijah reaches out to grip her hand. Tobias meets Ethan’s eye and nods once.

Bryce sits up immediately. Does that mean…?

Jackie can’t contain her glee. “We did it! We found a cure.”

Ethan nods slightly, a smile curling at his mouth. “At least, we hope so.”

Both Bryce and Casey furrow their brows. “You hope so?”

Tobias clears his throat. “We didn’t exactly have time to test it out.”

Sienna hooks a thumb in his direction. “But we administered it to Rafael. It—it might be too late for him, but…”

“—but he hasn’t shown any signs of getting worse,” Elijah chips in. He nods at Casey. “There’s hope. We think it’ll work.”

Casey hums. “What else do I have to lose?”

Ethan steps forward, syringe in hand. “If you would.”

Casey holds her arm out to him, but her body has clearly weakened overnight. Bryce cradles her against his chest, holding her arm still as Ethan prepares the injection. “How do we know if it works?”

Ethan shrugs, sliding the needle into her vein. “I’m assuming something similar as what has happened to Mr. Aveiro: no worsening of symptoms and hopefully even improvement. We’ll run some tests in a few hours, assuming you feel the same or better.” He steps back. “Dr. Lahela, if you would.”

Bryce’s eyes flash. “You honest to God think I’m leaving her here?”

June sighs. “You have to. The hazmat suit only has so much available oxygen, and you stretched it far beyond its limit already. We don’t want to have to admit you, too.”

He sets his jaw. “I’m willing to take that risk.”

Casey gently places her hand on his chest. “But I’m not. They’ll come get you if anything happens to me.” Her eyes seek out her friends and colleagues. “Right?”

They all nod. “I’ll send for Bryce personally,” Baz replies.

She squeezes his hand, and for a second, he thinks he can feel her skin. “Go,” she whispers. “I have a fighting chance now.”

***

“You need to get some sleep,” Jackie tells him, handing him a cup of coffee all the same.

Bryce takes it from her, mouthing his thanks, and lifts it to his lips. Across the room, Tobias shakes Ethan’s hand, clapping him on the shoulder. Aurora stands behind him, shifting her weight from foot to foot. When it looks like he’s about to leave, she hooks her thumb over her shoulder, and he nods.

“Sienna,” Aurora says, crossing the room, “you should get some sleep, too.”

Sienna wipes her eyes hastily. “Danny’s dead, Aurora.”

Aurora presses her lips together and rubs her back soothingly. “I’m so sorry, Sienna.”

Bryce nods, lowering his cup of coffee. “I’m sorry for your loss, Sienna.” He sighs, sets down his drink, and wraps her in a hug. “Truly, I’m so sorry.”

She sniffles and squeezes him tightly. “But Raf and Casey are still here. That’s good.” She steps back and forces a smile. “It makes it easier, I think.”

Aurora wraps an arm around her shoulder and guides her to the on-call room. Bryce sighs again and leans against the countertop, reaching behind him to grab his coffee.

Jackie crosses her arms. “So?”

He looks up. “So what?”

“You’re not going to get some sleep?”

He pinches the bridge of his nose and knocks back what’s left in his cup. The coffee is lukewarm. “I need to check on Keiki and give her an update. And I know the Valentines are on their way, so I should get in contact with them, tell them Case is still alive. At least I have some good news for them.”

Jackie grabs his shoulders and steers him out of the break room. “And you’ll have more soon. We can’t confirm anything yet, and you need to rest.”

“Jackie, I —”

She stops and moves to stand in front of him. “You’re not the only person who cares about her.” She gestures vaguely around the hallway. “Why else do you think we stayed up all night to synthesize a cure? Why Aurora brought her colleagues from Mass Ken? Why Tobias and Ethan set aside their differences to work on this?” Jackie glances over her shoulder and leans closer. “Dude, Sienna was crushing hard on Danny, and he died, and she still continued to work on this cure to help Casey.”

He nods and bites his thumbnail. “No, I know. I know how close you all are, but—Jackie, she’s the love of my life.” It comes out easier now, now that Casey knows. “I can’t stand not knowing.”

“Well, you’re in the same boat as the rest of us. Text your sister and Casey’s family, give them an update, then get some rest. I’ll personally make sure Sienna knows about this, too.”

Bryce chokes out a watery laugh and holds his hands up in surrender. “I give up, you win.” He holds up his index finger in Jackie’s face. “But the moment we have something definitive on Casey, you come get me.”

Jackie sticks out her hand. “Deal.”

***

From: Bryce

Stayed w Case all night

Wore a hazmat suit, dw

Gonna still be at the hospital until we know more

How were you last night?

From: Pest

are you okay??? hows casey????

and dw about me

From: Bryce

I’m fine just a little tired

We found a cure?? We think?? We’re waiting to know more

Also I’m your guardian, I’m legally obligated to worry, how were you last night??

From: Pest

well get some rest ig

and thats good!!!! rooting for her (tell her i said hi)

alright fine it was a rough night but thats bc of you and casey and i was worried

From: Bryce

I will soon, just need to update the Valentines (same for telling Case you said hi)

Did you eat??

From: Pest

no i photosynthesized

From: Bryce

Dick

From: Pest

all that was in the fridge was ur chicken from hell and it was late so i asked mrs zimmerman for food

love that woman to death

she gave me lasagna and cookies

…

also i watched tv until late and slept in your bed lol

From: Bryce

Wow

I go through a crisis

Discover I’m in love with my dying girlfriend

And you steal my bed and insult my cooking

From: Pest

oh pls

you got food poisoning from it too

From: Bryce

Ughhhhhh

Just go to school, I’ll keep you updated on Casey

And don’t try and argue your way out of it, I can’t be responsible for you committing truancy

…

But depending on how she’s doing, I’ll try and get you to visit Casey asap

From: Pest

how can i concentrate in school when my favorite sibling is deathly ill

From: Bryce

Do you want me to tell Case that you tried to use her as an excuse to get out of school

Bc I will

From: Pest

fine!!!! getting ready

[middle finger emoji]

***

Two hands grip his shoulders, and he starts awake, looking around wildly, hands forming into a fist. His eyes land on an overjoyed Jackie, who’s bouncing up and down. “It worked! Bryce, it worked!”

He sits up straight. “Casey’s alright?”

Jackie nods quickly, eyes welling up with tears. “She’s alright! I mean, of course, she has to recover, but the maitotoxin’s not going to kill her.”

Bryce grins and springs out of bed. “I’ve gotta go see her!”

“What, you’re not gonna update her folks?”

He stops in his tracks at that, fishing his phone out of his pocket. “You know what, fair.” With one hand, he pushes his hair away from his face while he scrolls through his contacts for Mr. Valentine’s contact.

From: Bryce

Good news!! Casey’s improving!!! The cure the diagnostics team administered to her is working, and she should be on the road to recovery by the time you get here.

[Message not delivered!]

He groans. “They must be on the flight.” Shaking his head, he tucks his phone back into his pocket. “Doesn’t matter. I need to go see her.”

Jackie waves her hand. “Go see your girl, lover boy.”

Bryce sprints upstairs, breezing quickly past Harper and Takana. He can’t help the smile on his face, so when he catches Harper’s eye, she physically relaxes and gives him a nod. Tanaka stops him briefly to shake his hand and to congratulate him.

Normally, Bryce would prioritize this kind of conversation with Takana. It’s not just congratulating him that his girlfriend is still alive and hope is alive and well — after all, he did get through the most difficult part of Kyra’s surgery and essentially left Tanaka to close. His career could catapult with this conversation.

And it will. It can just wait a few minutes.

Bryce excuses himself and bounces on the balls of his feet while he waits for the elevator. Maybe he should text Keiki. She should be getting out of school soon. He glances at his watch. In twenty minutes, actually.

The elevator dings before he can fish his phone out of his pocket, so he slips inside, presses the button for the seventh floor, and taps his fingers against his thigh during the agonizingly long elevator ride. Once the elevator doors begin to slide open, he squeezes past them and sprints to her room.

Before he reaches her room, he slows to a stop and pushes his hand through his hair. If he cranes his neck, he can see her through the glass. She sits on her bed, swinging her legs back and forth, staring outside while biting the inside of her lip.

The glass. It separated the dying from the living, but now, it separates the living from each other.

He strides through the decontamination tent, knowing that there is absolutely no way that he can erase the smile off his face. Opening his arms wide, he locks eyes with Casey. “It worked!”

Her jaw drops and her eyes widen. She straightens.

Bryce lets out a watery laugh, brushing the tears away from his cheeks with his thumb. “I told you it was going to be okay. I told you —”

Casey streaks across the room, launching herself into his arms with such force that he stumbles backwards.

Immediately, he wraps his arms around her, pressing one hand to the small of her back to pull her closer. With his other hand, he cups the back of her neck. She tucks her face into the crook of his neck, and he can feel her tears dripping hot and fast against his neck.

He rests his chin on her shoulder. “Couldn’t wait for me to cross the room, huh?”

She shakes her head quickly. “No.” Stepping back, she grabs the front of his scrubs and pulls him into a dizzyingly deep kiss. His arms wrap around her to hold her close.

When they finally break apart, he rests his forehead against hers. She lifts her hand to brush her fingers across his cheeks. “I love you,” he says.

Casey stands on her tiptoes, capturing his mouth in hers again. “I love you, too.”

Bryce cups her face in his hands and kisses her once, twice, three times. “Thank you,” he whispers, eyes fluttering shut.

She wraps one arm around his neck, keeping one hand on his cheek. “For what?”

He kisses her forehead. “For being alive.”

[linkysmommy]

The first chapter of my submission for the Open Heart contest is up, and you can play it here!! 🥳🥳 Storyloom only lets you publish one chapter at a time, and there's a review process that can take a couple days, so the rest of the chapters aren't up yet. They will, however, but coming up shortly!

Taking place six months after the end of the series, Open Heart: A Toxic Situation will be a four chapter medical drama that follows the mysterious case of one of Casey Valentine's patients. It features a gender and race customizable MC, five different LI routes + the option to not romance anyone, and sweet, sweet (optional) romance 🥰

[walkerismychoice]

Serendipity Master List

Serendipity is a collaboration between @deb-1106 and @walkerismychoice which follows Drake Walker X Ava (MC) from The Royal Romance and Bryce Lahela X Charlie (MC) from Open Heart. Whether you are a fan of TRR, OH, or both, we hope you'll enjoy the developing friendship between these couples and the crossover between the two worlds. We are using weekly prompts and posting on Saturdays to motivate us to stay on schedule (at least for now), and while each week relates to/builds on what we've posted previously, most parts can stand on their own if you just pop in here and there to read.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

[nmvord]

After all this time, they're still together.

[hannabanana-6]

Best Friends

Bryce and Casey, through Sienna’s POV.

“Bryce! You’re here!” Casey squealed, her face lighting up as she catapulted herself out of the Donahue’s booth their group was crowded into, and launched herself into his arms.

“Woah, Case. Good to see you too.” Bryce laughed as he easily lifted her up and spun her around, gently placing a soft kiss on her forehead as he set her back down, and subtly playing a steadying arm on Casey’s lower back, which made Sienna smirk; Casey notoriously had awful balance after a few drinks, yet completely refused to admit it.

“Hey, guys. I’m gonna go and grab a drink. Anyone want anything?” Bryce asked the table, his eyes barely flickering away from Casey to give them a nod in greeting.

“Shots!” Jackie cheered.

“Excellent idea. I’ll get a round.” Bryce laughed.

He picked Casey up and plopped her back into the booth, giving her a soft smile that was different from the signature smirk he usually gave everyone else, before he turned to head to the crowded bar.

Sienna, Jackie and Elijah smirked at Casey, but she was oblivious, tipsily humming to herself and nursing her drink, the bright smile that had appeared the moment she caught sight of Bryce still lingering on her lips.

“You are so down bad for Scalpel Jokey.” Jackie said, somehow seeming simultaneously disgusted and gleeful.

Sienna knew that although Jackie pretended to be disgusted by Casey and Bryce’s (admittedly way too common, and often irritating) public displays of affection, Jackie actually didn’t mind - as long as she could tease Casey mercilessly about it.

“We’re friends.” Casey replied as she always did, earning an eye roll from Jackie.

“Me and you don’t make out.” Jackie scoffed.

“Only in your dreams, Varma.” Casey batted her eyelashes flirtatiously towards Jackie, who threw a napkin at her in response.

“Jackie’s right, Case. You like him, like him.” Sienna giggled, imitating her best friend’s lovesick face.

“We’re just- I don’t know. He’s my best friend. I don’t want to screw that up. If things aren’t serious, it’s easier.” Casey admitted, anxiously starting to ball up the napkin Jackie had flung at her.

Sienna threw an arm around Casey and gave Elijah a look, trying to convey that it was time to change the subject.

As Elijah started to ramble about the latest video game he was playing, Sienna let her mind wander to Danny. She got where Casey was coming from, after all, wasn’t that what she was doing with Danny? He liked all the same things as her, he was so kind and sweet, they were such great friends. Sienna knew she wanted more with him, she thought maybe she could be really happy with him. Wayne had hurt her though. He’d seemed sweet and perfect for her once too, but it turned out she’d just been seeing what she wanted to see because she didn’t want to be alone. Maybe some things weren’t worth the risk, maybe she shouldn’t lose the good thing she already had going with Danny.

As Bryce swaggered over, confidently balancing a tray full of tequila shots - way more than one each, Sienna noted - Sienna looked at the way his eyes instantly locked on Casey’s, and they way Casey’s eyes practically seemed to glimmer with joy as she looked at Bryce. She thought of the easy way they joked together, the way they challenged and pushed each other but also the way they unconditionally supported each other and sought comfort in each other, they way they seemed entirely, truly comfortable around each other in a way Sienna thought was really rare. They were each other’s best friend, in the best way possible. A smile tugging at her lips, Sienna pulled out her phone to text Danny.