We got a big winter storm over the weekend guys. Lots of power outages 🥺 those chapters will be up as soon as possible! thank y’all for bearing with me❤️
We got a big winter storm over the weekend guys. Lots of power outages 🥺 those chapters will be up as soon as possible! thank y’all for bearing with me❤️
We got a big winter storm over the weekend guys. Lots of power outages 🥺 those chapters will be up as soon as possible! thank y’all for bearing with me❤️
Summary: Claire teases Ethan about the reasons she married him.
Warnings: NSFW (it’s a bit of smut at the end)
A/N: It’s fun to write something that isn’t a mountain of exam notes. Not that I’m out of the woods but oh well
Claire gripped the key to the door, her hand guiding it into the lock and turning it with one definite move. A practiced one that she’s done more times than she could count. And she knew what sight would greet her on the other side of the door.
Ethan’s been home alone for days now, save for Jenner, who was trying to keep him company with her loving presence while her other owner was away. She could already hear barking on the other side, courtesy of their dog, roused from her sleep by the sound of the door opening. No other voice could be heard, and as soon as she stepped into the apartment, she knew why.
The following is my masterlist for my Kyra Santana Sent You a Playlist series. The songs are from some of my favorite artists. I recommend listening in the order listed to get the feel of the series, but after the shuffle button is always nice. The playlist will be updated as new chapters are released.
I’ll Miss You More from the Sky.
(sent by Kyra Santana to Louise Haas)
Shut Up and Dance - WALK THE MOON
These Days - Rudimental (ft. Jess Glenn, Dan Caplen, and Macklemore)
Everything about this bland old office makes me want to scream. It’s like I’m in a box. One with large white walls and no means of escaping.
“Louise,” Dr. Ayers says with that mocking smile of hers. “How are you feeling today?”
“Like my uterus is under attack.” I say with a shrug and Dr. Ayers’ smile only grows.
“That time of the month, huh?”
I nod, not saying anything else. I really didn’t want to spend any more time discussing my period with my therapist. I lean back on the sofa which is surprisingly comfortable, I realize. I could sleep here for a few days or weeks and be completely fine with it.
Dr. Ayers closes the little notebook she keeps and clicks her pen three times before sitting it on the glass coffee table that separates us. Today she’s wearing a baby blue dress with balloon sleeves that stops just above her knees. And, if I’m being honest, she doesn’t look horrible in it. She tucks a strand of her long blonde locks behind her ear.
I instinctively run a hand through my own hair which hasn’t fully reached my ears yet.
“I could sign your release today, Louise. All it takes is a pen and my atrocity of a signature.” Dr. Ayers says. “Would you like that?”
I nod.
Of course I want that. It’s literally the only reason I’m still here sitting in this room and making rounds with my friends.
“I won’t just sign the papers, Louise. Not until you give me something in return. You can’t keep all of this emotion bottled up. What happens when you snap at a patient? Or you misdiagnose because you’re too lost in your own thoughts? What happens then?”
“I can handle my emotions.” I say after some thought. “But what I can’t handle is you and everyone else treating me like I’m a broken child. If you won’t sign the release, fine. I’ll find another hospital to work in.”
“Louise…” Dr. Ayers says but I’m already on my feet and out of the office.
I slam the door hard enough to draw a few eyes.
The stupid elevator takes forever to come and stops at almost every floor before finally bringing me to the lobby.
I see Ethan there. In all his whitecoat glory with two coffees in his hands.
“Louise,” Ethan says, his ocean eyes hopeful.
“Dr. Ramsey,” I say, keep it cool. Keep it cordial. “I quit.”
“What? Louise, you can’t-”
I shrug and push out into the cool air. I close my eyes and feel the icy bite on my cheeks and smile at the sun above. Maybe I’ll stop by the mall on my way home and treat myself to something nice and new.
I put my headphones in when I’m safely inside of the Uber and let Kyra’s playlist fill me with her precious memories.
Hold On - Bishop Briggs
Louise sat on a chair in the bathroom as Sienna touched up her buzzcut with Elijah’s razor. The two of them squinted through the haze of Kyra’s weed she smoked from her bubble bath.
The next few days would be tough. Louise and Sienna both were scheduled to work doubles and Kyra had another bout of chemo.
“Done.” Sienna said. She smiled at Louise’s reflection in the mirror, proud of her work.
Louise grinned large enough to show her one dimple. The buzzcut suited her, but Louise Haas could wear a clown wig and still look stunning.
“You should totally become a barber on the side,” Kyra exhaled in a series of puffs.
“I will take that into consideration.”
“I love it.” Louise smiled. “My mom would freak if she knew I cut it all off.”
“You’re a grown ass woman.”
Louise laughed. She loved spending time with Kyra and Sienna together. It had been a long time since she and her roommate had quality bonding time but Sienna fell right in to her and Kyra’s growing friendship. Sometimes she would catch them huddled over a cell phone laughing at memes that she otherwise found ridiculous.
“Say cheese.” Kyra motioned, picking up her cell phone from the side of the bath. She snapped a photo of Louise and Sienna, neither of which were ready for the picture. “Perfect.” Kyra grinned. “Someone should hang this in the Lurve.”
Kyra turned the phone to show them only for it to slip from her hands and land in the tub with her.
“Kyra!” Sienna gasped.
“Ah, don’t worry. It’s the new one.” Kyra scooped the phone up and held it in the air like a trophy. “It’s waterproof!”
Thirty minutes later, Louise and Sienna walked into Edenbrook. It was relatively quiet despite it being a Monday morning. If you stood still long enough, you could almost hear Zaid sucking the joy out of everything. With Ethan being away on his soul searching trip of whatever it is, Louise found herself revelling in the vastness of the hospital. She’d never noticed how many tiles there were from the entrance to the first set of elevators (96) or how many seconds it took to call the elevator (43).
“I was starting to think that you two weren’t going to show.” Jackie hung up her white coat as Louise and Sienna put theirs on.
“We’re early.”
“Early is late around here.”
She had a valid point.
“I’ll see you and Kyra for lunch?” Sienna pulled her hair into a cute little bun.
“Won’t miss it.” Louise smiled.
Rounds went by quick. Lousie had more than enough time to visit all of her patients twice before eleven. Even Zaid was impressed. Her fourth patient, Greta, was her favorite thus far. Greta was an elderly woman experiencing severe dehydration who loved to talk.
“I love the hair.” Greta beamed at her.
“It’s growing on me.” Louise smiled as she drew up an IV.
“I used to wear my hair short like that. Everyone thought I was a boy.”
“Everyone thought I was a boy until I was three.”
Greta laughed long and hard about that. They spent a few more minutes talking about a not so nice nurse and Greta twin granddaughters, Ella and Diana, who were both going to Harvard Law before Louise had to continue on.
She still finished her rounds in good timing. After a few lab trips to retrieve patient blood work, Louise was heading to the cafeteria to meet Sienna and Kyra.
“Over here!” Sienna called from a table near the window. Louise found Kyra and Bryce also seated.
“Looks like the gang’s all here.” Bryce winked at her as she slid in the empty chair next to him.
“Our favorite scapple jockey was just telling us about this amazing surgery he performed today.” Kyra smiled as if she were tired.
“It was only an appendectomy. Nothing fancy.”
“It’s still great.” Louise said. “You get to show off your scapple skills.”
“Sometimes I think I should’ve gone into surgery.” Sienna said through a mouthful of her sandwich.
“You can always come over to the dark side.”
“No, thank you. Internal Medicine is where it’s at.”
Bryce got a page and stood to leave only after he landed a kiss on Louise’s cheek.
“I’ll call you later?” Bryce asked.
Louise nodded and attempted to cover her reddening cheeks with her hands.
“What was that all about?” Sienna cooed.
“That was a move.” Kyra winked. “And I think you liked it.”
Sienna spent the rest of their lunch asking questions. When did that happen? Nothing “happened” yet. How did that happen? We got very drunk at a bar. Do you like him? Of course I like him. Do you like him, like him? Maybe. What about Ethan?
All Louise could do was shrug. To be honest, she didn’t know. She didn’t even know where he was at that present moment or even if he was alive. It was nearing two months since he took off without so much as a goodbye. But wherever he was. She hoped he was okay.
“Your chemo is scheduled for three, right Kyra?” Louise asked.
“Way to change the subject there, Dr. Haas.” Kyra stole a french fry from Sienna’s plate.
Buzz.
Louise pulled her pager from pocket half expecting one of her patients to have coded. Instead she got a notification that Dr. Ethan Ramsey posted to his profile. Never had she clicked on a notification so fast.
And there he was. Ethan Ramsey, posing at the top of a hiking trail. But it wasn’t the doctor she found her eyes on but the woman on his arm. The stunning woman on his arm.
“Earth to Louise.” Kyra waved another stolen french fry before her face. “You okay?”
“What are you staring at?” Sienna chimed in.
Kyra snatched the phone before Louise could protest.
“No way.”
“Give it back.” Louise said but Kyra passed it over to Sienna who gasped.
“‘Even the best doctors need a break.’” Kyra rolled her eyes. “What the fuck kind of caption is that?”
“He didn’t write that.” Louise said softly.
“Oh, look. He tagged her.” Sienna said. “Let’s see-”
Kyra collapsed before she could finish. Her body collided hard with the linoleum of the cafeteria floor. She was still. Very still.
“Kyra!” Louise was next to her in an instant. Sienna, close by shouting for everyone to back up.
“Can’t… breathe…” Kyra managed.
“I’m right here, Kyra.”
“I need a crash cart!” Sienna shouted.
“Just hold on to my hand. Don’t you dare let go.” Louise smiled through her tears. “Don’t you let go.”
Between them, Louise’s phone vibrated from the floor. But whatever it was, it would have to wait.
Present Day
The locker room is eerie with everyone else going on about their day.
I shove the last of my things into a duffel I borrowed from lost and found. I’ll send it back with Sienna or Elijah.
“Looks like you’re forgetting something.” Naveen steps into the quiet space. I try to make out what he’s thinking but I can’t.
I only offer him a smile. A whitecoat embroidered with Edenbrook is no use to me any more. “Of course he sent you.”
“Ethan didn’t send me, Louise.” Naveen laughed. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I know.”
Naveen sighs and removes a folded slip of paper from his pocket. He holds it out to me and I take it with slightly shaky hands.
“He won’t beg you to stay.”
“I know.”
I open it.
My heart sinks, taking my breath with it. Of course Ethan signed it. Although, I knew he would.
“I’ll give you a week to change your mind, Louise.” Naveen gives my shoulder a squeeze. “If you still want to go, I’ll sign.”
He leaves me with that.
But to be honest, I don’t think I can hold on for another week.
Y’all my new job sucks😭 I have been drained emotionally and physically and have not done anything toward my fic. 🥺 please bear with me. I will have this fic posted soon.
I think we should also appreciate how he took the time out of his days to visit kids at the St. Jude hospital while still battling with his own cancer. He was a real life superhero to not only me but millions of people <3