#oph fic

[total-drama-brainrot]

uh. something something, dog imagery?

i don't know, i haven't slept in, like, 36 hours. cut me some slack.

[arrowheadedbitch]

Tim: Oph??

Constantine: Don't call her that, I can't have you pissing off a faery, red.

Tim: That's her name, dumbass.

[storyofmychoices]

Your kisses are like spring flowers…where each single petal contains a hundred words of love from me. ~Xia Xia Lake

Bryce and Olivia sharing a moment beneath the blossoming flowers of the park's path 🌸 💖 💕

Art by the lovely irdeinfierno (IG)

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist] 

[lilyoffandoms]

Countdown to 2024 by artbyainna (IG)

@choicesfandomappreciation December 31: 1+ fandom friendships that made you feel special

To @jerzwriter and @storyofmychoices for always supporting me and sending kind words and messages (even when I’m not here). Thank you for always reminding me of how beautiful this world truly is! Thank you for being in my life! I love the little world we created for these three and I love you both so much! May the next year be the best yet and fill with all the good and beautiful things you both deserve 😘

[zealouscanonindeer]

Together.

Synopsis: The aftermath of the attack comes with a waterfall of feelings.But is it enough to stop pretending?

Ethan's POV

Category: Angsty fluff. I can never resist a happy ending

Sunlight peeked through the blinds at the blissful couple nestled in sleeps abode. I was the first to stir, stretching as consciousness returned, slowly opening one eye, then another before opening both to stare at the back of the woman who occupied every inch of my soul.

Her body moved rhythmically, even breaths for which I was grateful, ever since the attack seeing her felt like mercy on my heart. I would have died inside had she not made it. I loved her, with every fiber of my being, I did. And I would show her just how much I did, every single moment that we spent together.

I smiled, closing my eyes and sleep lulled me back into its abode.

**********

"Ethan? Hey. " A gentle nudge against my shoulder followed by a kiss on my forehead roused me. I pulled her hand in mine.

"Penny."

"Wake up, sleepyhead. It's almost noon. "

" Perfect time to come back to bed. " I turned to my side, pulling her hand with me, her body following.

"Who are you and what have you done to my Ethan? "

"It's you Rookie, what are you doing to me? "

She giggled, sitting by my side, bending over me. Suddenly water slapped against my face, making me jerk back, my eyes flying open.

"Oh, sorry. "

Aspen moved her wet hair back over her right shoulder. I looked up to see her smile sheepishly at me, leaning down to peck my lips lightly. I held her against me, her bathrobe soft against my skin, not allowing the kiss to end. Her lips moved in a perfectly synchronized manner, tasting of honey. Needing air, we broke away.

I laid back, staring at her as she brushed my hair back, her fingers running through them, instantly relaxing me.

"Why are you looking at me like that? "

"Like what? "

"With that wierd look in your eyes. " I couldn't in that moment fathom how I had ended up finding her, how I would treasure her forever.

"I was just thinking"

"About? "

I wasn't gonna tell her just yet but she meant everything to me, how I would never hurt her again. I flipped us over so that she was under me. I hovered over her, kissing her once more.

She smirked at me.

"As much as I would like to, you have a shift. At a hospital you work at, as a doctor. " She teased.

**********

Reluctantly, I picked up my belongings and car keys, giving Penny a lingering kiss, hugging her tightly.

"Someone's all lovey dovey today. " She pecked my clothed shoulder. Ignoring her astute observation, I quickly steered the conversation in a different direction

"When are you coming in again? "

"At around 7. I have a night shift today."

Noticing my slightly deflated look, she chuckled. I bade her goodbye, walking out to another day at Edenbrook.

The day continued like always, annoying interns, diagnostic cases and a couple of hours at the clinic. It was time for my shift to end, packing up my stuff I headed out, popping into the resident quaters to greet Aspen where I was informed she wasn't in yet.

I called her but she didn't answer, which was usual, and utterly annoying. I walked out to get into my car, winding through Boston traffic when the car bluetooth pinged with Penny's name.

"Hey. Where..." Her hoarse gasp shut me up.

"Ethan. Where are you? " Her laboured breath hitched as she gasped into the receiver.

My heart clenched with fear, breaking into a cold sweat I calmed my rising anxiety.

"Darling? What's wrong? "

"I need you to come quick. "

"Hold on, I'm almost there. Just hold on. " I prayed and begged her.

********

"Rookie "

"ROOKIE" Jenner barked frantically, running towards me.

"Here." A whisper called out to me from the kitchen floor.

I knelt down by Aspen's weak form, helping her into a sitting position, supporting her weight. She had a pretty bad bruise on the side of her shoulder, already turning black and blue. Jenner stood by my side, worried at the scene before him. She looked up at me and smiled weakly, trying to put on a brave face so I wouldn't worry.

" Don't worry, I just felt dizzy and blacked out. I hit the counter on my fall." She moved her arm, wincing.

"It's probably due to the anemia. You'd warned me it was a common after effect of the toxins I was exposed to. "

" You're right. I'll drive you to the hospital and get you set up. " She nodded as I picked her up.

*********

I pulled the car into the parking space, getting my seatbelt off and ready to open the door when she stopped me.

"Wait! "

"What? " I scanned her, noticing the alarmed look in her eyes.

"You can't take me inside and somebody might see me get off from your car. Drop me at the back entrance and then go home. Your shift's done, it will be suspicious if you return five minutes after I'm here. "

"Have you lost it! I'm going nowhere. "

"But, Ethan everyone will know.. about Us. " My insides fluttered at her words.. Or one word in particular. Us. I didn't care anymore.

"Then let them. " I looked at her earnestly. The way her eyes lit up at my decision had me wishing I had done it long ago.

"Let's go in, together. " I offered.

"Okay." She pushed the seatbelt off as I opened the door for her and helped her out. I steadied her, walking her in through the hospital doors.

**********

"Dr Ramsey! Um.. You're gonna..? " Marlene startled seeing me walk into Penny's room.

"Yes Marlene, I'm gonna sit by my sick girlfriend for the entire night. "

"Of course. " Marlene smiled a genuinely happy smile, leaving as she completed her last call, ready to hand over the floor to the next nurse on duty and head home.

The hospital was in quite a stir now. Hushed whispers and shocked indiscreet looks, everyone trying their best to hide their surprise and failing. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose, we weren't exactly parading being together, we just weren't hiding it anymore. I was tired of it.

Knowing how precious time was, knowing how much of it was already gone, not knowing how much was left, a chill ran down my spine just thinking about having regrets. This... Us it wasn't something to be kept like dirty secret. I wanted people to know I loved this woman and she deserved nothing less than that.

I sat lost in my thoughts when a small voice called out to me.

"Ethan."

"Rookie, hey, what's wrong? "

"Nothing.Could you just get the bed into a sitting position. " I turned the lever, pushing her slightly up.

"Thank you. For tonight. "

"What do you mean? "

Her eyes turned warm and glazed, she had beautiful eyes, the chocolate orbs stared at me with so much understanding, I couldn't help but fall in love all over again. Man, I had it bad.

"For showing how much this means to you. Us"

I simply kissed her forehead, words leaving me. I was done living safe. This was definitely a risk but when it came to her...She was worth every risk in the world.

**********

@liaromancewriter @potionsprefect @jerzwriter @cariantha @peonierose @rookiemartin @kyra75 @queencarb @genevievemd @tessa-liam @coffeeheartaddict2 @openheartfanfics @choicesficwriterscreations

[boneandfur]

Choices Flash Fic! DarkFic; Tobias x F!MC

Angels in Hell

@choicesflashfics #36. Uses prompt #2, "You’re allowed to fall apart a little."

A/N: I started writing this before I thought to grab a prompt, and it went to dark places. It was supplied to be a Harper x Ethan, but F!MC started talking... That's it. This fic is dark and I'm not sure why it came out, since it seems like the first chapter rather than a one shot. // Words: 1150 // Pairing: light f!mc x Tobias, acor MC x Antony (implied) // implied age gap relationship.

I always knew I'd end up working for the Outfit, from the time Uncle Tony caught me with a plastic stethoscope in my hands, to the day that Uncle Sam signed my soul over to the combat medical corps.

We need good people... like you, Chiara. You're the brains and Sy is the brawn. There will always be a place for the both of youse in the Outfit.

Is that because of Mama? I asked as I stood in front of Uncle Tony's desk and watched him swallow his grief along with his Campari, gold rings glittering. The shadow of two days beard was heavy on his jaw, and I yearned to reach out, to touch him, but instead crumpled the acceptance letter to Edenbrook in my pocket into a smaller and smaller ball, trying to keep my breathing steady as I watched him, the hero of my girlhood, the master of us all.

He set the glass down on his desk, the sound of it like the funeral bells that had gonged as the hearse pulled away from the cathedral steps in Little Italy, and I felt my throat tighten too. I swallowed my grief with my wine, clinking his glass in a toast. To her, then. I would always live in her shadow, until I could prove my worth.

Uncle Tony's eyes glistened wetly. Arin was a good woman. Bellissima... my tiger. You remind me of her, Princess. That blonde hair, and those eyes... Dio in paradiso, but she was a hurricane. And you are her very image...

Even though he'd married Octavia, I knew Mama had been the love of his life. Uncle Tony would have died for her, and nearly did. That was why I gave him my pledge of loyalty, right there in that room. A pledge for love, the kind that lasts beyond the grave.

And when I returned, I was no longer Chiara Valentine, Arin Valentine's little princess, but Chiara Valentine, combat medic and fast tracked through medical school due to all the strings pulled by Uncle Tony. It wasn't that I couldn't have done it on my own recognizance, but time was a luxury we didn't have after Doc Claudius had gotten his brains blown out by the Family, out in Drakovia. And Sy was in the clink. Again. For stealing cars from some gang in LA, connected to the Yakuza.

The Campari on the desk turned into the Negroni at the bar, and I was staring up into the golden eyes of my boss's and biggest mistake's biggest rival, the one and only Dr Tobias Carrick.

"Valentine." His upper lip curled, and I itched to smack the smugness right off his face, but I'd probably break a nail. After all, I was the Brains. I'd never fought anyone closer than fifty paces in my life, and we'd been in a tank. "Am I really that ugly, little princess, or do you scowl like that at all the plebs?"

If it were up to me, men like him would be six feet under, but I'd promised to hold my peace on mob soil, and the last thing Uncle Tony needed was a war with the Irish. Not that he'd do it for my sake -- it had been Mama who held his heart, and always would. So when I opened my mouth, what came out next surprised me. "I lost ... I lost someone. Today... it's the anniversary of her death."

"Bartender!" Tobias waved down the hipster serving white claw spritzers to the masses. "Get us a bottle of -- what's your poison, princess?"

"Limoncello." I didn't have to hesitate when the bartender slid the bottle down, and poured us two, on the rocks.

He prepared to knock back the entire glass when I caught him on the sleeve, for a moment looking thrown off his game, like he'd never seen a woman before. "Whoa there, Princess."

"Do you know what they say, Dr Carrick? They say that only the dead have seen the end of war. That's Plato. And don't call me princess." That's Antony's name for me.

"You’re allowed to fall apart a little." He touched my cheek gently, and it was only then that I realized I was crying. "Was it... a patient?"

What could I tell him? Of Afghanistan, and the starless desert skies that seemed to reach into the abyss, or of that single moment when my life changed forever? Or of how my life now seemed laid out before me in a single straight line with only a few stops along the way, Chicago to Afghanistan, to Boston and soon, soon, sooner than anyone could ever know, back again.

A pledge for love, the kind that lasts beyond the grave.

"She's been dead a long time." I wiped my cheek angrily with my sleeve, streaks of mascara coming away on it. "My mother. She died, and no one ever figured out what it was that killed her. That's why I'm here, really." I had never admitted the truth out loud before, to anyone.

Antony had come to find me at the barracks. I'd been barely eighteen, and one year in the army already. We'd drunk Limoncello til midnight, Arin Valentine's favorite drink, and we'd held one another and wept. In the morning, he'd left me with blood still drying on the sheets and an ache in my heart that no amount of Limoncello would ever ease.

A pledge for loyalty, until I stepped out of her shadow and proved my worth.

"Do you want to get out of here?" Tobias rubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw and held out a hand. "We can just walk, Chiara. You look like you need some air. I won't talk about old business tonight, and it's not a trick, I... I promise."

I took his hand, Dio in paradiso, heaven and hell. Eyes as gold as the sunless desert sands. "You can talk about it all you want, Tobias." I don't care if we win, after all, a snap of the fingers, a pouch filled with thirty pieces of silver, a handshake in a back room, that grant will end up lining the pockets of Edenbrook instead of Mass Kenmore, whether Tobias Carrick likes it or not.

I'll be going back to the Outfit, my mother's daughter, back to Antony. For I owe so much more to him than blood. Life and loyalty, and a love that never dies.

"Valentine?" Tobias waited by the door, jacket thrown over one shoulder, looking at me with a troubled question in his eyes. If I slid off the stool now, I'd have to make that choice. I'd have to face the truth about what drove me to this place, to Boston, to Edenbrook, and to stare at my own reflection in a glass of Limoncello as I counted the stars like the drops of blood in a vein, all the way down the bloody years.

Blood on my hands, blood on the sheets, washed clean by my tears.

Demoni in paradiso, angeli all'inferno.

Only the dead have seen the end of war.

[coffeeheartaddict2]

When life has other plans (7/16)

Seeing Red

Book: Open Heart (AU)

Characters: Ethan Ramsey, F!MC Casey Valentine

Warnings: Mentions of pregnancy loss, language

Word count: 1901

Catergory: angst

Rating: Mature

Summary: The fallout from Casey’s decision.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Pixelberry

Authors note: Cue the drama. To mirror the previous chapter, if this chapter has been triggering for you please contact support services in your country or state.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

The first day of the second year had arrived. Casey awoke. She was equal parts excited and anxious. She got dressed and joined the rest of her housemates for breakfast. She enjoyed the company but she was not feeling the best. She outwardly put it down to nerves about starting the fellowship today but inwardly she was doubting that the medication she had taken the day before was not working.

To Edenbrook she went and the first stop was the Atrium for morning announcements. There was a new class of interns. She had to do a double take when she saw Ethan with his beard. She liked the look immensely and her mind started to stray. She was then annoyed at herself, they were to be colleagues only now and thinking about how his beard would feel against certain parts of her body was certainly thoughts she should not be having.

Meanwhile Ethan’s heart skipped a beat when he saw her. She was still as beautiful as ever. He knew right then and there a relationship with her is what he wanted and he hoped she felt the same way.

Casey’s first meeting as part of the Diagnostics team started. She met Baz and June. They had a patient that was incoming from another hospital and they were all going through the possibilities. Casey felt lost and when she asked a question that had the rest of the team raising their eye brows, well she felt stupid. Ethan stated they had already covered that and that there was non family history. Baz and June came to the conclusion that it was Cutaneous Kutchi disease. Tasks were allocated and the meeting dismissed. Casey stayed back.

“Is everything alright Dr Valentine?” Asked Ethan.

“I thought my days of feeling like a clueless intern were over…”

“Did you notice what June and Baz did?”

“Yeah, they asked questions.”

“That is right, a question, no matter how insignificant could lead to the right question that gets us to a diagnosis.”

Casey nodded.

“Do we diagnose without seeing the patient often?”

“Sometimes yes so it is a good skill to have, in this instance we will see the patient but at least we will have a starting point.”

“Thank you Ethan.”

He took his glasses off, and looked at her, he could tell something else seemed to be troubling her but he did not ask, if it was personal, the office was not the place.

“The beard looks good, I like it.” Says Casey. “Thank you for the pep talk.” She says before leaving. She walks down the hall to a stairwell and leans against the wall. She is annoyed at herself, she knew he knew something was up and she was questioning not telling him about the pregnancy and abortion. She then receives a message from Dr Stone that she is available later that day.

Casey goes about her day, she runs the test for the team’s patient, they had the diagnosis but then he states he was looking forward to eating with out being in pain. Which led to a secondary diagnosis of an ulcer which was also fixed. Casey was congratulated for her work and the diagnosis they missed but personal matters were making her worried.

Two hours before her appointment she started to get really bad stomach cramps. There was still no bleeding and what was happening was definitely signs that the medication had not worked. She powered through but thirty minutes before her appointment she had a really sharp pain. It was so sharp that she felt faint and she slid down the wall. Ethan saw her fall and he rushed over. He was concerned. He called for a gurney and he was about to send her down to emergency when Casey muttered, between shots of pain, “Please page Dr Stone.”

Ethan does as she asks and then it dawns on him. Casey was losing a baby. He thinks that the main reason he does not know is that he was in the Amazon and she was waiting for an appropriate time to meet and discuss. He could not be mad at her for that. Dr Stone arrives. Ethan hops out of the way and lets Dr Stone take charge. Casey tells her her symptoms for the last day and tells her that she did take the medication she was prescribed as stated.

Ethan went from sad to angry. He would have supported a decision to terminate, children was not something he had discussed with her and it was certainly something he had not seen for him but the fact that he was left out intentionally. Yes he was on sabbatical but surely he had a right to know. Did he mean so little to her? Now was not the time though. Dr Stone was looking at an ultrasound screen. There was a fetus still there, but no heartbeat. Dr Stone pages surgery. Dr Stone tells Casey what is happening. She is about to have a D&C. Ethan is angry but he knows that Casey will need rest and to be discharged into the care of someone else and he knew that with her housemates schedules that may be difficult. He tells Dr Stone to page him when she is ready for discharge. She nods and thanks Dr Ramsey for stepping in. He makes his way to the DT office. He sits down seething. He starts second guessing what he meant to Casey. Was she secretly deep down happy that the arrangement was ending, despite her being the one wanting to keep it going until he left. He tried to convince himself that she did not tell him because he was away but he was hurt, hurt that the woman whom he had feelings for did not see fit for him to know. The only thing stopping from the thought of that he knew he was the only one she had been with before he went away.

Several hours later he received a page stating that Casey was ready for discharge. He had already given her some time off for the next day. He made his way to where Casey was. She was shocked to see Ethan. He is given the post surgical speech. He tells Dr Stone and Casey that she is off the next day at least. Casey nods and Dr Stone is appreciative. He wheels Casey to his car. Casey expects to be driven to her house but is surprised when he drives to his house.

They are quiet on the drive. Casey is awaiting a lecture, surely he would have figured out what was happening but it did not come and it terrified her. They arrived back at his apartment.

Ethan asked her if she wanted a drink or something to eat. Casey asks for some water. She takes a sip.

“What do you want to know Ethan?” She asks.

What do I want…” he lets out a groan of frustration.

“I do not know Casey? Were you ever going to tell me? Why did you not tell me?”

“What so you were fine finding out via text or voice mail that you got me pregnant? Well guess what, I was not ok with that.”

“What so not telling me at all was so much better? Don’t you think I deserved to know?”

“What and you decide you want to stick around, try to make us work with a baby?”

“If after discussing it and termination was the best option then that would have happened.”

“I did want to tell you but I wanted t do it face to face ok, but given I would have been roughly 8, nearly 9 weeks along now, if it took time to reach a decision and with my schedule, well surgery would have been very quickly my only option.”

“But we could have worked it out together,” says Ethan, trying to not cry.

“Did I not mean anything to you?”

Casey is shocked.

“Of course you do. The time away was hell. There was a rabid faction who thought you influenced Naveen. I was trying to get over my feelings for you and then I find out I am pregnant to you.”

“Casey, it was not easy for me either…”

“Yeah well life likes to deal a crappy hand. Good night Ethan” says Casey as she walks to the guest room.

Ethan lets his emotions out and cries. He does not go to sleep. He stays sitting in the kitchen stewing in his emotions.

He meant something to her. He was not moving pass that comment any time soon. If he meant something to her then why was he kept in the dark about something so important? Casey then emerges.

“Did you sleep?” She asked

“No, I couldn’t.” Said Ethan, “the fact you did not tell me you were pregnant is still eating at me.”

“Why is it bothering you, it is not like you were wanting kids in the first place.” Stated Casey.

“I may have never seen myself as a parent. As I said if we came to the conclusion I would have been fine about that but what is hurting is you did not tell me.”

“I did not want you sticking around out of obligation Ethan, it would be no way to start a relationship and again you deserved to hear it in person, not via a voicemail or text.”

“I get that but I feel so angry…angry and betrayed.”

“It was not my intent to hurt you, believe me…”

“Believe you! Seriously Casey. I am hurt and I am angry, intended or not you have hurt me.”

“Thank you for letting me stay. Thank you for today off. I am going to go back home now. I would hate to think that I am an obligation.”

“You are not an obligation…”

“Then if I hurt you so fucking badly, why am I here? Huh?”

“You fainted at the hospital Casey, clearly something was amiss.”

“Well I can take care of myself.” She states angrily as she heads back to the guest room and gathers her things and leaves the apartment.

Ethan stands there shocked and angry. Anger at the situation and shocked that Casey only sees herself as an obligation. He lets out a guttural scream and cries again. He could not deny how hurt he felt. He had seen first hand how painful the end of something can be and he can not help but wonder if things were now irreparable between him and Casey.

“Why did I get feelings?” he mutters to himself as he continues to get ready for the day. At least he knew he would not be seeing Casey today and he was equal parts relieved and saddened.

Meanwhile Casey was sad, angry and confused. Confused at why Ethan felt so betrayed by her actions. She knows maybe she should have told him, hindsight is always 20/20 but the hurt he felt really caught her off guard. But she also hated that she now felt like he was obligated to look after her and that was the last thing she wanted.

“Well you have your wish Ethan Ramsey” she muttered to herself. After this they were definitely only going to be colleagues, just the way he said they wanted them to be and already Casey was hating it.

———

Authors note: another short but not so sweet, I really wanted to give Ethan’s reaction a chapter to itself. I had a different plan initially but decided this would be more dramatic.

The decision has had an impact already and it does come back in different forms later on. Thus a 16 part series.

For those who read this far thank you and I look forward to providing you more content in 2024.

Tagging: @jerzwriter @jamespotterthefirst @genevievemd @liaromancewriter @cariantha @alj4890 @zealouscanonindeer @tessa-liam @youlookappropriate @bex-la-get @crazy-loca-blog @a-crepusculo @socalwriterbee @lucy-268 @binny1985 @schnitzelbutterfingers @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

If anyone wishes to be added or removed please let me know.

[deb-1106]

Choices Flash Fic week 31

Hey all!!  ❤️ 

Because we've both been out of the game so long, and have really missed writing, my good friend (she was actually my very FIRST friend on this hellsite 😋❤️) @walkerismychoice and I have decided to motivate each other by writing together using our LI's and MC's from different choices books.  I'll be using Drake Walker and my MC, Ava Matheson from TRR, and Maggie will be using Bryce Lahela and her MC, Charlie Hawkins from Open Heart.  

This story will hopefully be the first of a weekly series of one-shots using @choicesflashfics prompts.

We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it! ❤️

Prompt 3  — “Wait a second. Pause and rewind … what did you just say?”

Book: TRR/OPH

Pairings: Drake x Ava, Bryce x Charlie

Rating: M

TW: Gun Violence

“Little Blossom?”

Ava’s eyes flew open.  

She was momentarily disoriented, caught somewhere between a memory and a nightmare. But as her eyes focused and she took in the institutional green walls and naugahyde seating of a hospital waiting room, the crushing reality of the evening’s events came flooding back.

***

Ava! Get down!”

Drake’s warning was the last thing she heard before his body slammed into hers, knocking her to the ground.  She screamed as a bomb exploded nearby, raining chunks of rubble down all around them as the acrid smell of gunfire burned her nostrils.

“Drake?” She cried, “Drake, we have to get out of here!

He didn’t move.

“Drake!“  Ava began to panic as she felt the warm, sticky dampness of his blood seep into her ballgown. She reached out to press her hand to his cheek and his eyelids fluttered open for just a moment.  He gave her a small smile. 

“I love you, Matheson.” He mumbled faintly as his eyes closed once again.

“NO!  Drake, wake up!  Please, baby.  I need you to wake up!”  She tried to wiggle out from underneath him, but the weight of his body was too much for her.

HELP!” She screamed, praying that her cries were loud enough to be heard over the chaos around them,  “PLEASE! … SOMEBODY HELP US!”

After what felt like an eternity, she felt Drake’s weight lifted from her body.  She immediately scrambled to her knees crawling on all fours to where he lay prone on the ballroom floor, his suit soaked with blood.

“Oh my God!” She gasped, “Drake!”

Bastien was kneeling over him, both hands pressed over a wound in Drake's shoulder as he barked out orders. “I NEED A MEDIC AND AN UNMARKED CAR…NOW!”

“Bastien! What’s going on?”  Tears streamed down Ava’s face as she grabbed Drake’s hand, alarmed by how cold it felt.

“Terrorist attack.  Drake took a bullet.”

Ava looked to Bastien for reassurance, “But…he’s going to be okay, right?”  

He wouldn’t meet her eyes.

“Bastien! Tell me he’s going to be okay.” She begged, “Please!”

He finally looked up, and the expression on his face made Ava’s blood run cold.

“The wound is close to his heart and he’s lost a lot of blood.” Bastien’s voice was somber, “If we can get him to the hospital quickly, he might have a chance.”

“Might?” Ava pressed a hand over her mouth and felt her stomach lurch. 

No!  This can’t be happening.  We were finally going to start our lives together. I can’t lose him now.

***

Maxwell knelt down beside the chair Ava had finally collapsed into after pacing the hospital corridors for hours.  He placed his hand over hers and squeezed gently.  “There’s a nurse here who wants to talk to you.” 

Heart hammering in her chest, Ava jumped to her feet, ignoring the pain of her own injuries as she anxiously faced the young nurse standing in the doorway.

“Is he okay?” She asked, “Is he out of surgery?  Can I see him?”

The nurse smiled kindly, the rapid-fire questions not phasing her in the least.

“Mr. Walker is still in surgery…” 

When Ava’s face crumpled, the nurse crossed the room to place a comforting hand on her arm, “But he has one of our top surgeons working on him, so rest assured, he’s in the best possible hands.”  She smiled warmly, “In fact, Dr. Lehela wanted me to let you know that Mr. Walker is out of the woods.  The bullet has been removed and they’re just cleaning out the remaining debris.  There was some concern about bone fragments splintering off and causing damage to the surrounding heart tissue, but that doesn't appear to have been the case.”

Ava felt her legs go weak with relief.

“Oh, Thank God.”

She felt Maxwell’s arms encircle her and sank wearily into his comforting embrace.

“See, Blossom.” He said, encouragingly, “I told you he was going to be okay. It’ll take more than a tiny little bullet to take him out.”

Ava nodded and squeezed Max’s hand without breaking eye contact with the nurse.

“How much longer do you think it’ll be before I can see him?”

“Once he’s out of surgery, he’ll go to recovery." She replied with a comforting smile.  "It’s hard to say how long he’ll be there, as everyone comes out of anesthesia differently, but a conservative estimate would be another hour or two.  Then he’ll be settled into a room and can receive visitors.”

Ava nodded and swiped at the tears which were once again sliding down her cheeks.  But this time, they were tears of relief.

“Thank you.”

The nurse smiled.  “Of course.  I’ll come get you when I have his room assignment.”  

Ava thanked her again.

Drake was going to be okay.  Liam had been unharmed in the attack and Bastien and Kiara came away with only minor injuries.  Somehow they’d all survived.

Suddenly Ava’s stomach growled…LOUDLY.

Maxwell laughed.  “Okay, now that we know Drake is okay…it’s time to take care of YOU.”

Ava began to protest but Maxwell was already propelling her toward the door. “No more excuses!  You need food, or at the very least some coffee, or you’ll find yourself in a hospital bed of your own.  Now MOVE!” 

Maxwell was wearing his stubborn expression, so Ava knew resistance was futile.

She let him lead her down to the Cafeteria. “I’ll go back up to the waiting room and let you know immediately if I hear anything from the doctors.”

“Thank you.” Ava replied weekly before walking through the cafeteria doors and meandering aimlessly towards the various food offerings.

—--

Charlie checked the time on her Apple watch. Wow, a whole 30 minutes for lunch today, she thought. Typically she was lucky to get half of that. Nobody ever told her the life of a hospital internist would be glamorous, but she still hadn’t been prepared for how tired and hungry she’d be so much of the time. Although they bill residency as a training program for your selected specialty, Charlie swore it was also meant to be a boot camp that only the strong survived. Only one more year and she’d have some semblance of a normal schedule as an attending physician.

“Coffee. Must have coffee first.” Charlie mumbled to herself, taking in the aroma of freshly brewed beans as she marched towards the machines only to be stopped in her tracks by someone hovering in front of them. Charlie went left, but then the woman went left. Then she tried to go right, but the woman shuffled to the right. Her patience running thin, Charlie spoke up. “Excuse me, could I sneak in here?”

“I’m sorry.” The woman spun to face her, and Charlie’s irritation melted away. The woman looked sad and tired for sure, but that was not an uncommon sight for visitors of the hospital cafeteria. There was something about her that drew Charlie in and made her want to comfort the woman. Maybe it was the fact that Charlie could see a little bit of herself in her - definitely not the flawless deep olive skin tone and dark hair, wildly contrasting with Charlie’s strawberry blonde locks and accompanying creamy white skin, but they appeared about the same age, and there was just something there that made them alike. Although Charlie was not prone to striking up friendships with hospital visitors, something told Charlie this was a connection she should make.

“Let me buy you a coffee.” Charlie offered.

The woman looked Charlie up and down, seemingly noting Charlie’s white coat and ID badge. “No, that’s okay. You can just go first. I have no idea what I want.”

“Please, I insist. Free coffee is one of the few perks I get for devoting my life to this place.” They both laughed and Charlie saw the first little spark of life return to the woman’s eyes.

Charlie grabbed two prepackaged sandwiches to go with the coffees and brought them over to the woman who had already seated herself at a cafeteria table.

"Thank you so much…" she glanced at the ID badge again, "....Dr. Hawkins. "I was too much of a wreck to even pick out something to eat. I'm sure you're busy, but would you care to join me?" 

Again, it wasn't typical of Charlie to hang out with random hospital guests, but she knew this woman needed a friend right now, and maybe that feeling was mutual. "Sure, I still have about 20 more minutes." Charlie sat down. "But you can call me Charlie."

"Well thank you again, Charlie, I'm Ava."

"Nice to meet you, Ava." Charlie hesitated for a moment before asking, "If it's not too forward, do you want to talk about your loved one here that's got you so worried?... Only if you want to talk about it."

Ava's facial expression grew somber once again. She took a deep breath before letting everything spill out - getting invited to Cordonia on a whim to compete for the future King's heart, fate stepping in when she fell for his best friend Drake instead, and all the political drama and everything leading up to the events that brought her to this particular hospital cafeteria. Despite the tears streaming down Ava’s face, the air about her felt a little bit lighter.

"I'm sorry." Charlie squeezed Ava’s hand from across the table. "This must be so scary for you, but Edenbrook is a great hospital. I'm sure Drake is in great hands. Do you know who his surgeon is? I probably know them or at least know of them.”

Ava pursed her lips in concentration. “Dr, La-....hala? I think it’s something like that.”

Charlie smirked. “Young, kind of surfer boy-esque, and cocky as all hell because he knows how good-looking he is?”

Ava laughed nervously. “Yeah, that sounds like him. Please tell me he’s also a good surgeon.”

“Dr. Lahela can be kind of cocky bastard at times, but I love him. And yes, he’s a great surgeon, and I’m not just saying that because I’m biased.”

“Wait…” Ava seemed to be putting the pieces together. “You like love, love him? Are you two-”

“Yes, Bryce is my boyfriend. I might not have been so complimentary about his other characteristics otherwise.”

They both devolved into laughter until Ava spoke up again. “I like your sense of humor. Sounds like you need it to put up with him, just like me with my….Drake.” Ava quiets for a moment and then asks, “So I take it you two met here at Edenbrook?”

“Well, that’s a funny story.” Charlie wondered if she really wanted to get into this with a relative stranger, but Ava had already shared so much and could probably use the distraction anyway. “We actually met at a strip club, and believe it or not, Bryce was a stripper.”

Ava’s eyes opened wide. “Wait a second. Pause and rewind … what did you just say?”

Charlie inhaled deeply. “Okay, I don’t have a ton of time left on my break, so I’ll give you the condensed version. My med school friends dragged me out to a strip club to celebrate after we graduated. I was in a funk because I’d been recently dumped by the douchebag I thought I was going to marry and to top it off, I was set to be in my awful cousin’s weeklong wedding extravaganza and was in no mood to be questioned about the whereabouts of my plus one. Said friends paid for a private lap dance for me. In my drunken state, I got the bright idea to hire the stripper to be my fake boyfriend for the wedding. Somewhere along the way, fake boyfriend turned into real love interest. I learned he wasn’t just a stripper but had worked his way through med school and was about to hang up his banana hammocks to start his residency. As fate would have it, we’d both matched at Edenbrook and two years later, here we are.”

“Woah. And I thought mine and Drake’s relationship had an unconventional start.” Ava peeked down at her phone on the table. “I’m definitely going to need the feature-length presentation of this story another time, but my friend Maxwell just texted that Drake’s out of surgery!”

“That’s great news!” Charlie got up with Ava and walked out to the elevators with her. “I’ll walk you back up there since I’m headed that way.

Little did either of them know that this chance meeting would be the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

Taglist: @ao719 @burnsoslow @sincerelyella @charlotteg234 @choiceswreckedme @walkerismychoice @txemrn @twinkleallnight @imashybish @blackcatkita @katedrakeohd @boneandfur @sfb123 @queenrileyrose @foreverethereal123 @kingliam2019 @nestledonthaveone @bebepac @petiteboheme @yukinagato2012 @princess-geek

**As always, if you want on or off my Tag List, let me know. **

[amortentiaopenheart]

Meet my MC

Meet: Dr. Catherine Valentine

Full name: Catherine Annabelle Valentine

Nicknames: Cat (Parents), Yvonne (Friends), Rookie (Ethan), C (Siblings, Ethan, friends)

Age: 27

Birthday: 19/01/1996

Ethnicity: Irish

Birthplace: Douglas, Cork, Ireland

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

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 48 kg

Appearance: Slim, athletic build

Education: Francis Holland School, Sloane Square | University College Dublin School of Medicine | John Hopkins Medical School

Profession: Diagnostician, Internal medicine | Junior Fellow on Diagnostics Team (resident year) | Head of the Diagnostics Team at Edenbrook Hospital (present)

Personality type: INFJ

Love interest: Ethan Ramsey (engaged) | Edward Gomez (JHU)

Marital status: Engaged

Face claim: Anushka Sen

Family: Alexandra Daphne Valentine (Mother- scientist) | Lucas Adam Valentine (Father- biomedical engineer) | David Nicholas Valentine (Brother- ethical hacker) | Isabella Ines Valentine (Sister- lawyer)

___________

Facts:

Youngest child

Can't cook to save her life. It's take-out, or instant noodles. Sienna was her lifesaver lliterally).

Did an internship at the UN

Favourite word: gobsmack

Favourite colour: Red

Aesthetic: Light academia, glam, red

Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot clutter her bookshelves.

Total bookworm- give her anything with a good storyline and she's obsessed.

Favourite movie- Little Women (2019)

Avid Disney fan- Mulan, Beauty and The Beast are her favourites.

Favourite music genre: Classic, pop

Multilingual- English, Irish, French, Hindi

Plays the guitar and the piano

Arachnophobic

Loves sunsets

Night owl

Loves mountains

_______

@choicesficwriterscreations

[openheartfanfics]

Newly Added Fics

Dec 30, 2023 - Jan 5, 2024  

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

Bryce x F!MC

Best Friends - @hannabanana-6 ☁

Bryce and Casey, through Sienna’s POV. Feat. Sienna Trinh

Bryce x M!MC

Halloween- @mydemonsdrivealimo 📚

[extended: wip] A collection of moments throughout Jensen’s life, focused on his struggles and accomplishments.

Part 4

Part 5

Ethan x F!MC

A Place To Call Home - @potionsprefect ☁

Victoria and Ethan make a house a home. [Domestic; Family]

Cheers to the New Year - @genevievemd 📸🌟

New Year celebration edits.

His - @stanathanxoox ☁

They didn't like to be touched by just anyone. But that didn't mean they didn't also crave it sometimes.

Miles - @tveitertotwrites ☁🎄

The Story of Miles Ramsey and how he was introduced to the family during Christmas. [Pet]

Never Been Kissed - @cariantha ☁🌟

Ethan helps Sawyer with one of her New Year’s resolutions.

New Year Wishes - @liaromancewriter ☁🌟

New Year’s Day is a special time for making wishes that come true. [Domestic; Family]

The secret gift. - @zealouscanonindeer ☁🎄

The truth behind Ethan's first Christmas with Aspen's family.

Vices & Virtues - @the-pale-goddess 🦚

Dr. Ramsey's weaknesses don’t disturb his everyday life often, but when they do, a certain intern happens to always be involved. [Pining]

When life has other plans - @coffeeheartaddict2 📚🛸

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

CH 7: Seeing Red

Rafael x F!MC

Moving In - @rafasgirl23415 📚​

[extended: wip] Follow up to We Belong Together. Set a few years into the future.

CH 4 a: Two And A Half Heartbeats

CH 4 b: Two And A Half Heartbeats

CH 5: Flashbacks

CH 6: Saying Goodbye

Tobias x F!MC

Falling for You - @jerzwriter ☁

Ice skating has always been a big part of Casey's life, and for the eight months they had been together, she kept saying how much she was looking forward to doing it with Tobias.

New Perspective - @jerzwriter 🦚

It's New Year's Eve, and the friends stop by Tobias & Casey's before heading out for the night. Feat. OH Gang

_

SUBMIT OPEN HEART FICS & WRITERS HERE

[liaromancewriter]

The Unexpected Valentine

Premise: The interns celebrate their first Valentine’s Day in Boston, and it’s full of surprises.

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Cassie Valentine (F!MC); feat. Sienna Trinh, Bryce Lahela, Jackie Varma, Elijah Greene Rating/Category: General. Fluff. Words: 1,790

A/N: Submission for @choicesficwriterscreations Valentine's Day event; for @choicesmonthlychallenge Valentine's Day platonic prompt - candy hearts; @choices-february2023 Day 14 "Valentine's Day".

The nurses’ stations on almost every floor were festooned in pink and white paper hearts. Some diehard romantics wore red heart pins on their scrubs, while others smiled more than usual, humming jaunty tunes as they did their work.

Valentine’s Day wasn’t until the end of the week, but that didn’t stop people from getting into the spirit early. Nurse Sarah was responsible for this year’s resident Secret Valentine Exchange and was determined to make it the best one yet.

All she needed was to track down one stubborn intern that had managed to avoid detection. But Sarah was on a mission, and nothing and no one would get in her way.

Cassie Valentine wasn’t thinking of anything but her latest patient. She was working with a new attending, one who seemed to disappear whenever she needed guidance. She was a February intern and could fly solo easily for less complicated cases. This case was anything but usual.

She missed working with Dr. Ramsey, even if the man was more likely to ask questions than provide answers. But at least his questions pushed her to think out of the box. Not go round and round in circles.

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice someone chasing her or calling her name until a hand fell on her shoulder. Startled, she turned her head to see Nurse Sarah breathing heavily and clutching her waist as if she had a stitch on the side.

“Wow, you’re a really fast walker,” Sarah huffed. “I chased you down two hallways, and you’re not even winded.”

Cassie knew she’d been practically running, as she often did when thinking, and felt sorry for the other woman.

“I’m sorry, Sarah. I was lost in thought,” Cassie said sincerely. “How can I help?”

Sarah held out a post-it note and pen. “You haven’t entered your name in the Secret Valentine Exchange. Today is the last day. We’ll pick names at the end of shift.”

“Yeah, I don’t do V-Day,” Cassie said, not even bothering to hide her disdain for the holiday, which wasn’t really a holiday but a marketing gimmick.

“But your last name is Valentine,” Sarah sputtered.

Cassie just knew this would come up. She loved romance, but all her life, she had to contend with people making fun as soon as February started because of the peculiarity of her last name.

She lifted her chin mulishly. “Your point is…?”

“It’s practically your day,” Sarah said in a tone that implied it should be obvious. And then she waved her hand dismissively. “Anyway, everyone else is signed up, and the numbers will be uneven if you don’t. So, it’s required.”

Cassie wanted to argue and stick to her principles, but Sarah’s determined expression told her there was no point. That didn’t mean she would take it lying down. She took the post-it and pen, scribbled a name, and handed Sarah the folded paper.

Smugly satisfied, Sarah thanked her and returned to her station.

“What was that about?”

Thinking she was alone, Cassie practically jumped at the masculine voice behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Ethan standing in the patient room doorway.

Her heart skipped a beat as it often did in his presence, and her green eyes filled with longing before she schooled her features into a neutral expression.

“Stupid Valentine’s Day,” she muttered under her breath.

He must have had bat ears because he heard her clearly. The quick, amused grin that flashed across his face was disarming, as was the warmth in his blue eyes. Despite her best intentions to keep things professional, she was charmed and wished he would smile more.

“Not a fan?” he drawled, leaning against the wall and folding his arms across his chest. “I have to say, I’m surprised.”

“Join the club.” She rolled her eyes.

The shrill sound of a pager—his—cut the moment short. She thought he looked grim as he read the message and wondered if it was about Naveen.

Before she could ask him about it, he dropped the pager in his coat pocket, gave her a brief nod, and walked away without another word.

A few days later, Cassie walked into Edenbrook for her shift with Sienna bubbling in excitement beside her, a baker’s box full of heart-shaped cookies clutched in her hands. Her friend had been like this for several days, eager for Valentine’s Day and a romantic dinner with her idiot of a boyfriend.

Of course, Sienna didn’t think Wayne was an idiot despite evidence to the contrary. It took all of Cassie’s self-control not to shake her and make her see Wayne for the supercilious loser he was. But that’s not what friends did.

If Sienna was happy with Wayne, Cassie had no right to interfere or make her feel bad about it. Not like Jackie often did, which inevitably led to Sienna retreating to her room on the pretense of studying.

She would be supportive and pleasant, even if it killed her. Besides, Wayne would show his true colors eventually. Cassie had met enough people like that to know it was only a matter of time.

“He still hasn’t told me where we’re going,” Sienna said as they swiped in and walked into the near-empty locker room. “But I dropped enough hints about this French bistro I want to try. So, fingers crossed!”

Cassie flushed when she realized Sienna was looking expectantly at her, and she hadn’t heard a word Sienna said until now. “I’m sure it will be lovely.”

Wanting to make amends for her inattentiveness, she gave Sienna a one-armed hug. “I’ll make sure you get out of here on time. Tell you what. If you want to leave early to get ready, just page me, and I’ll cover your patients.”

“Thanks, Cassie,” Sienna said, smiling widely. “I might take you up on that.”

They both turned away to change into scrubs. Cassie unfastened her bag and saw the square-shaped red jewelry box for the Secret Valentine Exchange. She’d been ecstatic to get Sienna’s name in the draw and had known exactly what to buy her bestie.

Now it was just a matter of getting Sienna out of the way so she could hide it in her locker for later.

“I’m going to find Danny and Raf before shift starts, give them their cookies,” Sienna told her, slamming the locker door shut. “See you at morning sign-out?”

“You bet.”

Cassie waited for a beat in case Sienna came back. Judging the coast to be clear, she took out the jewelry box, tucked a Secret Valentine note into the seam, and placed it on the shelf next to Sienna’s tote so she wouldn’t miss it.

“I thought I got Sienna in the Secret Valentine Exchange,” a male voice said behind her.

Caught unawares for the second time in so many days, Cassie jumped and spun on her heels to face Bryce. He was leaning against one of the lockers, a small bouquet of pink roses in his hands, brows furrowed in confusion.

Before Cassie could respond, Jackie walked into view with Elijah following, each holding a present.

“What’s up, meathead?” Jackie asked, brushing past Bryce to set the gift bag on the bench.

She cocked her head when she saw Cassie standing in front of Sienna’s open locker and the red jewelry box.

“Wait a minute,” she started, looking first at Cassie, then Bryce and the flowers he was holding. “Are those Sienna’s Secret Valentine presents? Because I got her name in the draw.”

“That’s interesting,” Elijah said, joining the three of them in front of Sienna’s locker. “I got her name too.”

The four friends stared at each other perplexed, and then Cassie burst into laughter as she put two and two together.

“You all know I don’t believe in V-Day,” she said, swallowing back giggles. “So when Nurse Sarah cornered me, I put Sienna’s name in the draw instead of mine.”

Bryce chuckled. “I did the same but for different reasons. Sienna really gets into all the holiday stuff. I didn’t want to take the chance she’d get a dud.”

Cassie threw Jackie a challenging look. “How much of a coincidence is it you entered Sienna’s name too?”

Jackie rolled her eyes, but her grin gave her away. “I felt bad riding her about Wayne last week. Figured if she got two presents, it might make up for him canceling on her tonight.”

She twisted her lips in derision. “Let’s face it. The jerk has a track record of canceling on her at the last minute. At least now she can drown her sorrows in Belgian chocolate.” She lightly shook the bag.

Elijah slowly raised his hand. “So, I might have entered Sienna’s name too. She does so much to cheer everyone up. Like Bryce, I didn’t want to chance it she’d get dissed by someone with crappy tastes. By the way, I asked Landry to write her name too. I calculated the odds based on the number of entries and figured one of us had a strong shot of drawing her name.”

Elijah finished confessing and lifted the gift bag off his lap. “I got her candy hearts and a funny card.”

Bryce whistled softly. “Sienna definitely hit the Valentine’s Day jackpot today.”

And then they all laughed as they gathered around her locker, trying to stuff their presents inside. Their friend was about to get the surprise of her life.

They were arguing about how to organize everything when Sienna rushed into the locker room, muttering under her breath.

She stopped abruptly at seeing her friends assembled around her open locker. Her eyes widened in surprise at the gift bags and flowers, their distinct floral scent filling the air.

Before she could ask what was going on, Cassie, Bryce, Elijah and Jackie descended upon her and dumped their presents in her hands.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Si!”

It was the end of shift, and the hospital was buzzing as it often did during the changeover. Nurse Sarah rubbed the back of her neck and rolled her shoulders to get the kinks out. She absently wondered what the residents had gotten each other for the Secret Valentine Exchange.

She’d meant to follow up, but her day had been busier than usual. Now she was tired and looking forward to celebratory drinks with her friends. It was too bad she didn’t have a man this Valentine’s Day to shower her with presents.

She was almost at the exit when she spied Dr. Trinh walking ahead, laughing with her usual group of friends. Sarah took in the brightly wrapped presents and bouquet of roses in the young doctor’s arms and thought, Lucky Lady.

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

All Fics & Edits: @a-crepusculo @annfg8 @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @doriopenheart @genevievemd @headoverheelsforramsey @lucy-268 @jamespotterthefirst @jerzwriter @lady-calypso @mainstreetreader @takemyopenheart @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @rookiemartin @socalwriterbee @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction

[total-drama-brainrot]

no thoughts just rice krispies alenoah and ‘our love is god’ from the heathers musical

when you say "no thoughts" you're referring to noah, right?

[a-crepusculo]

When It Rains (Ethan x MC)

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x Dr. Marchia Ramsey (F!MC) Premise: A little dance underneath the gentle drizzle. Rating / Category: General / Fluff Warning(s): None Word Count: 384 words Artist: @/artbyainna on Instagram

A plateau of dull grey sat above them, large clouds huddled together as they walked down the narrow streets of Paris. It was quiet down there, with only the discordant rumbling of thunder as their companion, getting louder and louder. As the fresh scent of earthiness galloped with the winds, they are reminded again about the oncoming rain that was about to fall.

The couple quickened their pace, hoping to seek refuge as soon as possible. Warm lights guided them to their next destination—a place that was merely a few meters ahead, couple minutes away.

Yet, they were too late.

Marchia looked up, the dark sky drumming with the anticipation of release. Soon enough, droplets of water poured on to the pavements, singing an enchanting serenade to those who are willing to listen. A harmonic, gentle tune that soothes the mind, mends the soul.

And all of the sudden, she halted.

Her right hand, locked in with his, pulled Ethan’s body to an abrupt stop. He turned to face his wife, thoroughly confused and intrigued to find the reason behind this act.

What he saw, however, took his breath away.

Her rose cheeks gleamed, lips casting a smile that would turn his stomach upside down. Pearls of water run through her gold dusky hair, slowly trickling downwards to reach her dress. The white chiffon material became lightly soaked under the drizzle, translucent, outlining the perfect symmetry of her sylphlike figure.

Surrounded by an ethereal glow, Ethan was blessed with the glorious view of his Queen, the ruler of his heart.

He moved closer, placing one hand on her hips, and another on the nape of her neck. Glued together, his thunderous ocean eyes locked with Marchia, letting himself drown in the depths of her emerald forest—feasting in the irrefutable existence of her beauty.

“Kiss me,” she whispered.

Without any preamble, he granted her simple yet tantalizing wish. His grip around her tightened, then in one swift movement, he swirled her petite body. A short squeal escaped her, followed by her signature giggles. As cliché and cheesy as it sounds, Ethan could not wait to capture her lips and taste her once more.

Because he was all hers, until the end of time.

A/N: Yes, I’m still seriously in love with this art that Ainna made, and I can’t stop looking at it. No amount of words in the dictionary could describe how freaking obsessed I am with this!!! 🤍😭

[storyofmychoices]

Thanksgiving's Little Miracle: Happy Birthday, Malia!

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist] 

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley (F!OC) with Malia Lahela Book: Open Heart Word Count: ~500 Rating/Warnings: general, no warnings, all the fluff

Tagging: Thanksgiving: @choicesnovchallenge ; @choicesholidays "I'm thankful for you" ; @choicesficwriterscreations ;

Synopsis: Olivia and Bryce welcome their baby girl, Malia.

This absolutely precious and heartwarming art is by the lovely, ArtbyAinna. Not me setting every alarm and notification possible to make sure I got a November slot just for this moment! 😌💛

The open curtains invited the November sunlight into the room, its golden rays casting a gentle warmth despite the cool Boston temperature outside. Soft, hushed whispers of nurses' footsteps and distant murmurs from the hallway occasionally drifted in, creating a familiar symphony for the parents.

Bryce and Olivia rested nestled in her hospital bed, enraptured by their newborn daughter, Malia. 

"Look," Olivia whispered, her voice infused with wonder, "she's opening her eyes."

Bryce leaned closer, his heart swelling with affection as her eyes fluttered shut once more. "She's got your eyes," he remarked softly.

"And your nose," Olivia added, a gentle chuckle dancing in her voice. Her eyes welled as she marveled at their beautiful daughter, unable to take her gaze off of her. She had spent months patiently waiting for this moment, wondering what she would look like, what she would sound like, and what her personality would be. Now, she was here. All those long months of waiting were worth every second because they brought her to this moment.

Malia lay nestled, her chest rising and falling in a gentle rhythm, soothed by the comforting murmur of her parents' voices.

"She's so small," Bryce admired, his voice tinged with awe. His fingers brushed over her tiny hands that wrapped around him in response

"But she's ours." 

Malia let out a soft whimper, prompting Olivia to soothe her with a gentle sway. Bryce readjusted her blankets, tucking her safely back into its embrace.

"I'm thankful for our little miracle," she murmured, planting a soft kiss on Malia's forehead. "For her health, her warmth, and the love we will share with her."

Bryce's hand found Olivia's, intertwining their fingers. "I'm thankful for you. For your strength, your love, and for bringing our beautiful girl into this world." 

His arm wrapped around his wife, his lips pressing a lingering kiss on the top of her head. He shook his head slightly to the sides in disbelief, not sure how he could have ever gotten so lucky. He stole a glance at his little girl, his eyes filled with tears. There was so much he'd share with her, a world of possibilities to give her. But for now, she had everything she could need, and so did he.

As they savored this intimate moment with Malia, their phones buzzed softly with messages on the table by the window. 

"I can't wait for her to meet everyone," Olivia whispered, cradling their daughter as she leaned into his embrace. 

Bryce nodded, pride gleaming in his eyes as he held the two halves of his world in his arms. "Me too," he whispered and pressed another kiss on the crown of her head. "But not yet. Let's just stay here a while longer."

Her lips curved into a serene smile. "That sounds perfect," she murmured softly, content to let the moment linger for as long as they could.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting! I hope you enjoyed both the art and the drabble. I absolutely adore this couple and Malia is going to be the most amazing (fictional) person some day. I can't wait to learn more about her! 💖💖💖💖 [Learn more about Malia]

[headoverheelsforramsey]

The Ring Fiasco

Book : Open Heart (post series)

Pairing : Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Meera Bose)

Summary : When Ethan misplaces his engagement ring, Meera and her girls come up with a plan to teach him a lesson.

Category : Fluff

Warnings : None

Rating : General

Word Count : 2041

Trope : Friends Intervene, Jealous

A/N : This fic was originally written in August of last year, but I was waiting for CFWC's you go girls event to post it and then accidentally deleted it while making space for notes during finals week. 🤡 So I wrote this very quickly and on very less amount of sleep, so please be kind. Participating in @choicesficwriterscreations You Go Girls Event, @choicesflashfics Week #31 prompt, which will appear in bold and @choiceschallenge-may2023 : Engagement. Happy Reading. ❤️

Meera stood near the nurse's station, not so secretly watching her fiancé talk to an overly friendly woman. She forcefully tore her eyes away or she might just blow up from jealousy.

“Damn Bose, if you wanna stalk someone atleast don’t make it that obvious,” Jackie handed over her tablet and stood beside her.

“Ooh! Stalking? Sounds fun! Who is the target though?” Sienna followed shortly, smiling at the nurse at the station and picking up a patient report.

“It's nothing guys,” Meera sneakily looked up at Ethan and the mystery woman, but it was enough to draw the attention of the two other doctors.

“Yikes!” Sienna remarked, as the woman in question laughed at something Ethan had said, playfully hitting his arm.

“Jeez, go easy on the PDA, the man has a ring on him,” Jackie followed.

“I know!” Meera sighed.

"But who is she?" Sienna asked, quickly stealing a glance.

"That question has been burning in my mind since morning!" Meera replied. "Who is she and why the hell is she flirting with my fiancé?"

"Should I reverse image search her?" Jackie suggested, "because it looks like the identity of this mystery woman is eating your soul."

"Who, she?" a third voice made Meera look up, she was greeted with Tobias' smug face. "That's Dr. Emily Chester," he informed.

"Who?" the girls said, collectively.

"Professionally or personally?" Tobias asked, but Meera's glare didn't make him wait for an answer.

"Both. Got it. Professionally, she is one of the biggest names in endocrinology. Personally?" Tobias deliberately stopped enjoying Meera's agony a little too much. "She was at Hopkins, a couple years junior to us, and she had a huge thing for Ethan."

“And?” Meera pressed for more information. “What about Ethan?”

“In true Ethan manner, he didn’t reciprocate her feelings, too heartbroken over she-who-shall-not-be-named and walls too high and thick to let anyone else in.”

“But what is she doing here?”

“I hit up Kyra, apparently, she will be joining as an attending, as Dr. Stanley is stepping back to go into research after receiving a grant from NIH,” Sienna informed. “She was supposed to join from Monday but decided to come in today to settle in before starting work, Ethan is showing her around.”

“Nice! She hasn’t changed at all,” Tobias smirked and was immediately met with three angry glares, “I… I think I’m being paged… be right back,” Tobias exited.

“The settling in excuse is utter bullshit!” Meera said.

“Agreed! She just wants to get into his pants,” Jackie stated.

“Jackie! Don’t say stuff like that!” Sienna reprimanded.

“What? It’s the truth!”

“Don’t listen to her! Kyra texted she can cut their tour short and get Ethan back in the office under the ruse of a meeting,” Sienna showed Meera her phone. “What do you say?”

“I don’t know Si, it seems a little far fetched, and besides I trust Ethan,” Meera looks at him once again, enthusiastically speaking about the latest testing technology, completely oblivious to the flirtatious looks he receives from his audience.

“You are a better person than I am,” Sienna squeezed her hand.

The familiar sound of a pager made Meera look down, “I gotta go, my intern’s paging 911.”

The remaining two doctors get to work, and shortly after Ethan walks up to them, Emily Chester following him like a puppy.

“Good morning Dr. Varma, Dr. Trinh,” he greeted.

As Jackie fixed him with a stone cold glare Sienna put on a fake smile and greeted him back.

“I was meaning to introduce you to Dr. Emily Chester, the newest addition to our Edenbrook family. Dr. Chester, this is Dr. Varma one of our finest young attendings and Dr. Trinh who is already board certified in internal medicine and is now pursuing a fellowship in pediatrics,” as Ethan made introductions, pointing to each of them, both Sienna and Jackie noticed something unusual. They looked at each other making sure that they weren't imagining things.

“I thought I saw Meera here?” Ethan asked.

“She is busy, you know saving lives, managing a team being freaking awesome,” Sienna blurted out.

“What she means to say is Meera has a consult,” Jackie tries to avert, “and so do we. So if you’ll excuse us.”

With a small smile and a curt nod the two of them disappear around the corner. Ethan stares at their retreating figures, confused about what just happened and amused at the very weird conversation he had.

“Did you see it? Please tell me I’m wrong,” Sienna said.

“Nope. You are correct, it's missing,” Jackie replied.

“We need to find Meera ASAP.”

The two of them didn’t have to wander the halls of Edenbrook much longer as Meera’s angry Ramsey-like voice blared through the hospital floor.

“The incompetence is unacceptable! You work with literal life and death, so you can’t afford to make mistakes,” Meera shouted at an intern who seemed like she was about to cry.

“I’m… I am… sorry Dr. Bose,” she mumbled timidly.

“Sorry? What am I supposed to do with your sorry? Apologize to that man’s wife and kids…” “Okay, that's enough,” Sienna stopped Meera before she could continue with her rage fest.

“I think Dr. …,” Jackie glanced at the intern’s ID badge, “Baker has learned her lesson, and we can continue with our day.” With that she dispels the crowd that had formed.

“That was very unlike you,” Sienna said, worried.

“And very like Ramsey,” Jackie added.

“I don’t know guys, Emily Chester just doesn't feel right to me, and I might be taking it out on the wrong people,” Meera sighed.

“Yeah about that…” Jackie shared a look with Sienna, “we found out something.”

“Ethan doesn't have his engagement ring on him.”

“Wait a second. Pause and rewind … what did you just say?”

Jackie and Sienna quickly update Meera about all the incidents and their findings.

“But why?” Meera asks, hopeless.

“Told you men are no good,” Jackie says and quickly receives a nudge from Sienna.

“Look we don’t know, but I believe there is an explanation,” Sienna consoles her fellow dolphin.

“I… I can help,” the intern from before said shyly.

“Not now Baker!”

“I mean I… might know why Dr. Ramsey didn’t have his ring on.”

The three older doctors stare at her.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear.”

“Spill. Now,” Meera said.

“Okay,” the intern takes a deep breath before steading herself, “I had to call a code blue on the third floor today, and I panicked. There weren’t any attendings or senior residents nearby, so Dr. Ramsey came in. I saw him removing his ring before slipping on gloves and taking over CPR.”

Meera visibly relaxed, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

“See! I told you there was an explanation,” Sienna chimed joyfully.

“But why hasn’t he put it back on?” Jackie retorted.

“He might have just forgotten. He is the chief, cut him some slack, Jackie.”

“It might be a mistake,” Meera said thoughtfully, “but he needs to learn a lesson. Baker, did you see where he put the ring after removing it?”

“In his pocket!” Dr. Baker replies without wasting a second.

“Good! Get me your intern friends, I have a plan,” Meera smiled mischievously, the wheels of her brain already turning.

Later that day Meera crossed the atrium, she looked at her watch, according to the intel she had collected from Kyra Ethan was supposed to be here any minute. Five minutes later she spotted him descending the stairs, undoubtedly followed by none other than Dr. Emily Chester. They make eye contact and Ethan smiles at her, taking long strides to reach her. Meera looks over to Baker from the corner of her eye, who was hiding in plain sight. It was time to set her plan in motion.

“Hey! I have been trying to catch you all day, where have you been?” Ethan said, holding Meera’s hand.

“Hi, I know, it’s just been one of those days,” Meera replied, smiling.

“Anyways, I wanted to introduce you to Dr. Emily Chester, world renowned endocrinologist and a fantastic diagnostician as well.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

“Likewise, Dr.?” Emily looked at Ethan to complete introductions.

“Dr. Bose. Our best diagnostician, head of the DT, my favorite mentee, and my fia…”

Right on Meera’s signal, a horde of interns led by Baker swarm Dr. Chester.

“OH MY GOD! Aren’t you Emily Chester?!” one said.

“You are literally my medical hero,” another one added.

“I am so fascinated by your latest paper,” a third joined.

As the crowd separated Dr. Chester from the couple Meera takes advantage of the chaos and stealthily picks up the ring from Ethan’s pocket.

“What is wrong with them?” As Ethan is about to reprimand the interns, Meera brings his attention back to her.

“Babe don’t you think you are missing something?”

Ethan’s brows furrow, he thinks about all the important birthdays and anniversaries, date nights and meetings, when unable to come to a conclusion he follows Meera’s gaze to his fingers and notices the missing ring.

“Christ!” he curses under his breath. “Listen rookie, trust me this was an honest mistake…” he searches for the ring in all his pockets.

“Looking for this?” Meera holds up the ring in front of him.

“Look, Meera I am deeply sorry, I meant to put it back on after running a code and one thing happened after another and it slipped my mind. I am extremely sorry, it won’t happen again.”

“I know babe,” Meera smiled. “But I’m not about to hand it over to you that easily.”

“Don’t do something stupid rookie,” Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose very familiar with the mischievous gleam in his fiancée’s eyes.

Meera went down on one knee, holding the ring in hand. The entire hospital had been gushing about Meera’s reverse proposal to Ethan by the dreamy Lake Louise a couple months back, so when given the chance to witness it in person and with the power of the Edenbrook rumor mill, quite a crowd had gathered around, clicking pictures, cheering and hooting.

Ethan shaked his head, a smile lining the corner of his mouth.

Meera looked at Emily, enjoying the look of pure disbelief and surprise on her face.

“Dr. Ethan Jonah Ramsey, will you let me be a colossal pain in your ass for this lifetime?”

Ethan joined Meera on the ground, “a hundred times over.”

They kiss with the Edenbrook crowd going feral. Everyone comes up to them to congratulate the happy couple.

As the crowd thins out Dr. Chester speaks, “well I guess congratulations are in order, “ she smiles politely. “But I’ll have to say, I had never imagined Dr. Ethan Ramsey would tie the knot.”

“I agree with you Chester, I had never imagined myself as well, but what can I say she brings out the best in me,” Ethan replied grinning ear to ear at Meera.

“So when's the wedding?”

“In a month,” Meera informs.

“In a month!” Emily shouts, surprised, “don’t you think it’s too soon?” She looks at Ethan, convinced that he has been wrongfully roped into a marriage.

The couple chuckle, a knowing look between the two, “we have been engaged a long time now,” Ethan said.

“This is the third proposal between the two of us. I just meant to include our Edenbrook family and that also means you, now that you are supposed to join us as well,” Meera fixes Emily with the most innocent smile and earnest look.

Dr. Chester matches her smile, “well, then I won’t keep you two from your celebrations. I’ll sign the papers on Monday, Eth…,” she stops, quickly rectifying herself, “I mean Dr. Ramsey.”

As Dr. Emily Chester moves away, their friends surround them.

“That was one hell of a way to prove a point,” Sienna declared.

“Yes you might have just peed all over him to mark your territory,” Jackie joked.

“Great idea!” Meera exclaimed. “Let’s save that for when he misplaces the wedding ring!”

As the entire group breaks into laughter, Tobias says, “you are in for a rollercoaster ride, my man!”

“I know, but she is so worth it,” Ethan says, kissing Meera, deeply.

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

Perma : @starrystarrytrouble @quixoticdreamer16 @coffeeheartaddict2 @liaromancewriter @tessa-liam @gryffindordaughterofathena @crazy-loca-blog @zahrachoices @bex-la-get @potionsprefect @schnitzelbutterfingers @a-crepusculo @custaroonie @aishwarya2 @jamespotterthefirst

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

+ @openheartfanfics , @choicesficwriterscreations , @choiceschallenge-may2023 , @choicesflashfics

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

[zealouscanonindeer]

Company

Synopsis: Comfort goes both ways, even in the most unlikely times.

Category: Fluff.

Ethan sat at his office desk, eyes trained on the desktop screen but tonight his attention was not on paperwork or administration details. That had long since disappeared, ever since he stepped down from his role as Chief. Now, he was back to doing what he loved, being a doctor.

With Aspen at the helm of the diagnostic team and leading it beautifully, he was content in sitting back and letting her continue. So he spent most of his time in the clinic and wards, scanning through as many patients as possible. He had also begun writing his second book, the object currently holding his attention. Though not for long..

"Dada! " The tiny voice was followed by a splatter of footsteps and laughter as someone zoomed past his office towards the living room.

He got up, slightly exasperated, he had finally achieved putting Tatum down only 10 minutes back. He had waited until her eyelids had pressed shut, her breathing even and her tiny hand slowly let go of his.

"Tate" He saw her on the sofa, standing against the backrest, her dark hair plopping up and down as she jumped. Her honey orbs started at him, challenging him to make her stop. Suddenly he was stunned by her uncanny resemblance to his wife.

"How in the world did you get out of the crib? " He mostly asked himself.

"I hold the bars and then get on the dresser and from there.. I do this. " She had by now climbed onto the backrest and flung herself off it. Ethan scrambled to catch her, his heart dropping when he realised he was too far away.

She landed on her feet and he sighed in relief, he himself wasn't so lucky. His fall was only half aided by the carpet. His hip hit the floor, causing a light groan to leave him.

His daughter stared at him from above as he lay on his back. Her lips let out giggles before she grabbed his arm.

"Silly dada. "

"Silly indeed. " Ethan muttered, smiling.

She pulled him, indicating she wanted to go somewhere. Ethan found his footing, the pain subsiding as she walked towards the master bedroom. She waited for Ethan by the door,her little legs dancing about, impatient to enter but the dark too scary to tread.

The moment Ethan switched on the light, she rushed in, grabbing handfuls of the duvet to launch herself onto the bed. Making herself comfortable under the covers, she patted the space next to her, looking at Ethan who stood leaning against the door, his features perked up watching his younger daughter's antics.

He sat down next to her and she immediately snuggled into him, his large arm wrapping around her entire body as she blissfully rested her weight against him.

"Why aren't you in bed, my gorgeous tater tot? " Her eyes brightened at the mention of tater tots.

"It's scary dada. "

"What is? "

"The storm. "

The weather had been terrible the past weekend, causing half of his family to remain in Florida, where they were visiting Aspen's family. He had stayed behind as Tatum had just recovered from quite a severe bout of flu and it was unadvisable that she be subjected to plane travel so soon.

"Did that wake you up? " She nodded vehemently.

"You know, it was really scary for me as well. I still find it very difficult to sleep during storms. "

"Does Mommy hold you too, when you're scared and read you your favorite bedtime story? "

"Something like that. " Ethan smirked.

"I miss Mommy. " Tatum sighed dramatically, throwing herself on the pillows and pouting.

"Me too." Ethan admitted.

"You don't need to worry, I gotcha. " She assured, her earnest promise evident in the seriousness of her eyes.

"I know you do. Thank you. " Ethan answered, the reassurance more profound than he expected.

"Let's continue our bedtime story, yeah. "

"Yeah! " Tatum ran across the hall before returning back silently. She stood by the door, fingers in her mouth and mumbled.

"It's dark. "

"Let's go together. " Ethan picked her up, gently removing her fingers out of her mouth and giving her a stern look. She rested her head in the crook of his neck, her tiny hand resting on his jaw absentmindedly.

Having gotten her book, Danny the Champion of the World, they settled in bed. Two chapters later, she was fast asleep. Ethan smiled, looking at his little girl, suddenly finding himself glad that he wasn't alone at home tonight. She gave him more courage than he could fathom possible.

His phone buzzed, vibrating against the bedside table. He picked it up to see his wife's image pop up. He quickly swiped up to see her smiling into the camera.

"Hey. How's it going there. I miss you."

"The storm's still crazy. God, I wish your plane left yesterday, I miss you too. "

"Hmm. You holding up fine? I know bad weather makes you restless. Try to get some sleep, okay? "

It was true, the storms always unnerved Ethan. He remembered Louise leaving before a particularly bad one. With Alan still adjusting to the new life and responsibility, Ethan had braved through one such night all on his own. Ever since then, nights like these brought back those memories with them. But tonight he felt strangely calm even in the midst of one.

" Don't worry one bit about me. " He said turning the camera towards their sleeping daughter.

"I have company. "

*********

@liaromancewriter @potionsprefect @jerzwriter @cariantha @peonierose @rookiemartin @kyra75 @queencarb @genevievemd @tessa-liam @coffeeheartaddict2 @tveitertotwrites @openheartfanfics @choicesficwriterscreations