I am not here as much today, but I still love to come in and read all my favorite Choices when I can.
My Top 10 Choices Stories:
Open Heart
Wake the Dead
Foreign Affairs
Crimes of Passion
The Royal Romance
Blades of Light and Shadow
Immortal Desires
Desire and Decorum
Mother of the Year
Laws of Attraction
My Top 10 Choices LI:
This is hard! Jajaj
Ernest Sinclaire, Desire and Decorum
Eli Sipes, Wake the Dead
Luke Harper, Desire and Decorum
Trystan Thorne, Crimes of Passion
Ethan Ramsey, Open Heart
Troy Hassan, Wake the Dead
Simon, A Very Scandalous Proposal
Nia Ellarious, Blades of Light and Shadows
Blaine, Foreign Affairs
Drake Walker and Liam Rys, The Royal Romance
10 Fanfic Writers I Enjoy Very Much:
No order I cannot pick
@cariantha @aallotarenunelma @inlocusmads @jerzwriter @liaromancewriter @peonierose @mydemonsdrivealimo @storyofmychoices @potionsprefect @lilyoffandoms @tessa-liam @moominofthevalley @trappedinfanfiction I go over 10 and I know I forget people.
10 Fan Artist I Enjoy Very Much:
No order I cannot pick
@oh-so-youre-a-nerd @artbyalz @mydemonsdrivealimo @erixadraws @rosefuckinggenius @gaiuskamilah @bayleedraws-sometimesx @cashweasel @sophie-summer @hydn-jpg @myautumnrose @fairymatchmaker and now @lilyoffandoms also I go over again. Jajaja
It's only taken me a month to finish this, and yet, I don't feel like I've edited it enough. :) But, if I'm going to get it posted in time to participate in @monthlywritingchallenges's Nostalgia November, I have to post it! This is a one-off, AU for my little blorbos - certainly didn't happen in my HC! Prompt used: "We were happy once." Song inspiration, George Michael's One More Try.
Fandom: Open Heart (Playchoices)
Pairing: Tobias Carrick x Casey MacTavish (F!MC)
Rating: Teen
Words: 1,515
Synopsis: They've been here before - impossible to be together, unable to stay apart - the last time they swore, this was the end. But when Casey asks for one more chance, does Tobias have what it takes to stay away?
Casey twisted restlessly as the clock two rooms away struck twelveâanother cruel reminder that sleep wasnât coming. It hadnât come easily in weeks. Everything was a reminder now: the bed that was suddenly too big, the apartment that echoed with silence, the empty space beside her that refused to be ignored. She even missed the things that once drove her madâhim stealing the covers, putting the empty milk container back in the fridge. Now she couldnât understand why any of it had bothered her at all.
When the restlessness became unbearable, she threw off the blanket, grabbed her old coat, and stepped out into the night. She almost smiledâalmostâimagining her mother, miles away, jolting awake with that sixth sense mothers have. The thought of her daughter wandering Bostonâs slick cobblestoned streets alone would horrify her. Honestly, if he knew, heâd feel the same way.
But she needed airâneeded to breatheâand that was the story sheâd stick to. Staying inside those four walls a second longer would have broken her. So she walked, pretending she had no destination. But from the moment her door clicked shut, she knew that was a lie.
Fifteen minutes later, Tobiasâs townhouse emerged, the streetlights casting an amber glow across its familiar façade. Once her second home, now a place she hadnât set foot in for months. So why did it call to her now? Why did she feel pulled to it by a force she couldnât fight?
She climbed the stairs slowly â rattling off a hundred reasons why she should turn back with each step. She held her breath as her finger hovered over the doorbell for what felt like an eternity. She finally pressed it, and even as the soft chimes echoed inside, it took everything in her not to turn and run away.
Tobias opened the door, rubbing sleep from his eyes, and she froze. He was barefoot, in a ragged gray t-shirt and the worn flannel pants sheâd fallen asleep against countless times. Somehow, he looked shocked and unsurprised at once, as if heâd been waiting but never expected her to actually appear.
Silence stretched between them â both in a dreamlike state, when she finally spoke.
âIâm⊠Iâm sorry,â she whispered. âI didnât... I didnât know where else to go.â
Her voice pulled him fully awake. Seeing her soaked to the skin, fragile in a way that nearly tore him open, tugged hard at something inside him. Without a word, he stepped aside.
The house was eerily silent as Tobias disappeared down the hall to get her a towel. When he returned, she stood by the window, watching the rain slide down the glass as if it held the answer to a question she couldnât quite bring herself to ask.
âAre you okay?â he asked gently.
A hollow laugh escaped her. âI donât know anymore.â
When he handed her the towel, their fingers brushed. She froze; he didnâtâbut the flicker in his eyes betrayed him. Yes, he felt it too.
âIâve tried to forget you,â she murmured, staring at the floor. âI thought I could just⊠move on... that time and distance would dull the pain...â
Tobias let out a slow, painful breath. âDid it?â
âNo,â she whispered, lifting her eyes to meet his. âDid it for you?â
He knew this was where he should lie. He should say yes, it had hurt like hell, but he moved on. He should be smooth, maybe even cruel; it would be kinder in the end. He should protect that fragile distance theyâd spent months trying to perfect.
But one look at her, and he became weak. He was quite good at lying to himself, but he could never lie to her.
âNo,â he breathed. âBut you already knew that, Casey. You know Iâll never get over you.â
Her lips parted, but before she could speak, he pulled her inâand their mouths crashed together, hard, desperate, fueled by a passion that was impossible to contain. They kissed like it could silence every warning, every memory of how this ended before.
But it was unstoppable - his hands found her waist, her face, her hair, and for a moment the world felt right again. Whole. But as the memoriesâgood and badâsurged, Casey pulled back, trembling.
âThis isnât fair,â she whispered.
âI know,â his voice quivered.
âItâs like... I donât know how to live with you⊠But I canât live without you.â
He brushed a strand of hair from her face, his thumb tracing the soft curve of her cheek. She leaned into the touch, that familiar spark racing through her.
âI know,â he murmured. âWe drive each other crazy. But how am I supposed to leave you when youâre the only real thing Iâve ever known?â
A tear slipped down her cheek, and for a moment, he braced for her to pull away as she had so many times before, but instead, she leaned into him, her body settling perfectly against his. The warmth, her scent, the familiarity â it felt like a dream.
âI hate how much I still need you,â she whispered.
âAnd I hate that Iâll take you back every damn timeâeven when we know how it ends.â
âBut does it have to?â she breathed, her voice a plea.
He silently drew her into his arms as the rain tapped softly against the window. The weight of everything theyâd broken hung between them. Sometimes love was too much; sometimes it wasnât enough. And right now, it was both  - both precious and unbearable.
âDo you still love me?â she whispered into his ear.
He hesitated, and the pause nearly killed her. Then, finally, a long, shaking exhale.
âCasey - Iâm going to love you until the day I die,â he said softly. âNothing can ever change that.â
âAnd I feel the same,â she cried. âSo what...what do we do?â
âCaseyâŠâ His eyes shut. âI want things to be different. I do. But weâve tried so many times. And every time, it breaks us. Every time I lose you, I lose a piece of myself. I donât know if I can survive that again.â
âBut weâre different now,â she insisted. âIâm different. I know what I wantâand itâs you. I wonât run again, Tobias. Iâll stay. Iâll fight. I swear I will.â
He searched her face, desperate to believe. âYou said that before,â he whispered.
âI know. But I mean it now.â She grabbed his hands. âIâve spent months pretending Iâm fine, pretending I donât miss you every minute of every day.â She swallowed hard. âI thought distance would save me. But all it did was show me that I donât want a world without you. We were happy once â and we can be again. Youâre my person, Tobias. And Iâm yours. We belong together.â
His jaw tightened as he tore his gaze awayâeyes damp, walls rising. She recognized the shift â she had seen it before.
âTobias, please. Donât shut down. Donât push me away. Talk to me. Yell if you need to. Just donât push me away again.â
He looked at herâreally lookedâand she could see the battle in him, and she could see he was losing ground.
âIâm scared,â he said quietly. âWhatâs to stop it from happening again?â
âWe can,â she said, clutching his hand. âWe can choose each other - every day, even when itâs hard, especially when itâs hard. We know what life is without each otherâand we know we donât want it.â
Tears streamed down her cheeks. âI canât promise perfection, but I can promise honesty. And I can promise Iâll stay â I wonât run away. Iâll never run away again.â
He sucked in a ragged breath. Her words were everything heâd ever wanted to hear- but they were coming too late, or maybe... they were right on time.
âIf you want me to go,â she whispered, âIâll go. Iâll walk out and never bother you again. But if you let me stayâif you take me backâI will love you with everything I am, for as long as youâll let me.â
A single tear slid down his cheek as he cupped her face, resting his forehead against hers.
âTobias,â she breathed. âPlease.â
He didnât answerânot yetâbut he pulled her into his arms, holding her so tightly she gasped.
âI love you,â he whispered against her hair.
It wasnât a decision. Not yet. But it wasnât goodbye. It was a moment when the darkness began to break, allowing the slightest beam of hope to shine through.
âI love you, too,â she whispered back. âI do.â
They stood trembling in each otherâs arms, afraid to speak. Their love had burned them down before, but it was also the only thing that had ever saved them. Maybe it was finally time to do the work. Maybe it was finally time to grow.
Because when they finally stepped back and met each otherâs eyes, they knewâwithout a single wordâthat they could never let each other go.
Premise: Ethan and Cassie have never been further apart than now.
Fandom: Open Heart
Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine)
Rating/Category: Teen. Angst.
Words: 1,085
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
A/N: Finally managed to finish this story to my satisfaction! đ„ł
Submission to @choicesnovemberchallenge2025 prompt "Confrontation"
His eyelids fluttered as he drifted toward consciousness. In that in-between world where reality and memory blur, Ethan Ramsey imagined his wife beside him. Her sunny blonde hair framing a face that had only grown more interesting over the years.
He frowned, trying to focus. Her features were hazy, as if seen through a camera lens slightly out of focus, a shimmering mirage in the desert.
Then flashes of images tore through his mind like slides projected on a wall, one after another. Ethan remembered an old medical school professor doing the same in rapid-fire fashion whenever he wanted to test their recall.
The loud thud and crunch of metal. The shrill wail of sirens. The brief moment of weightlessness before everything went black.
Maybe heâd died and was in his own private hellâalone, again, with everyone he loved always just out of reach.
A sharp pain pulsed through his forehead, and his eyelids fluttered once more before he closed them, retreating from the ache of his body and the devastating grief gripping his heart.
And then he felt it. Peace.
The soft press of lips against his forehead. The brush of fingers tracing the line of his cheek. A light touch on the back of his hand before those same fingers intertwined with his.
âIâm here.â
The gentle whisper, so familiar, had him reaching for the surface.
Ethan forced himself to swim upward, breaking through the waves that kept dragging him under. A part of himâthe one that could rattle off most drug contraindications without thinkingârecognized the sensation for what it was. The fog that follows a morphine dose.
Heâd been a doctor long enough to know exactly how it worked on his patients. The sooner they fought their way out of it, the clearer their recall would be.
Mind over matter, he told himself, kicking harder now that the surface glimmered just within reach.
Just one more push, he urged, even as the sunâs sharp rays pricked at his eyelids and waves wrapped around his legs.
The white-hot light he awoke to wasnât that of the sun but the overhead fluorescent lights. The waves heâd felt were in fact the tangled bedsheets of his hospital bed.
âWelcome back, buddy.â
Carrick.
âMust be hell,â Ethan muttered at the familiar laconic drawl of his long-time friend-slash-rival.
Tobias pressed a button to raise the head of the bed. Ethan blinked up at him, taking in the man standing beside the bed with an electronic chart in hand.
âDepends on your point of view,â Tobias said with a low chuckle. âYouâre in Mass Kenmore, so I suppose, for you, itâs all the same.â
Before Ethan could fire off a retort, the door opened and Cassie Valentine stepped inside, phone pressed to her ear. The worried lines furrowing her brow vanished the moment she saw him. She ended the call mid-sentence and rushed toward the bed.
âThank God youâre okay,â she breathed, leaning over to hug him carefully. âYou scared me.â
He slid an arm around her waist and held her there, unwilling to let her pull away. As her familiar scent anchored him to the present, Ethan felt the tension that had followed him all day disappear.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the door close quietly behind Tobias. And then they were alone and he let go.
âIâm sorry,â he whispered, over and over, as her tears dampened his neck.
It wasnât an apology for his actions today but for everything heâd put her through the last few weeks. In the split-second before the accident, heâd wished he could take it all back.
The universe had given him a second chance, and he wasnât going to squander it.
-------
A short while later, after poking and prodding from the nursing staff, the room finally quieted. The soft hum of machines and monitors pulsing steady green lines filled the silence.
Cassie sat at Ethanâs bedside, her fingers resting near his on the blanket, lightly touching.
âYou scared me,â she whispered.
His throat bobbed. âI scared myself.â
For a moment, they simply breathed. The distance between themâonce a hallway, then a storm, then a phone unansweredânarrowed to the inches between their hands.
âCassieâŠâ Ethanâs voice rasped. âIâm sorry for this morning. I shut you out. Iâve been shutting you out for months.â
She lifted her eyes. For the first time in too long, he let her see him unguarded.
âI thought keeping it in would⊠protect you,â he admitted. âOr spare you. I didnât want you to see how much I was unraveling.â
Cassie blinked hard. âIt hurt, unbearably, when you slapped my hand away this morning. No matter our disagreements in the past, I always knew weâd be okay from the way youâd hold my hand in yours.â
He reached for her then, as if atoning for his earlier transgression, and laced their fingers together.
âIâm sorry.â His breath shook. âI regretted it the moment it happened. But I didnât know how to let you in without falling apart.â
âI understand your grief, Ethan,â Cassie said, voice breaking. âAnd I know I pushed. Maybe too hard. Because I know how complicated your feelings were for Louise. But when you retreat⊠I feel like Iâm losing you. Like Iâm inadequate because Iâll never truly know what itâs like to have a parent walk out on you. And it terrified me.â
âWeâre hurting each other without meaning to,â he said quietly, finally naming what sat between them.
âAnd weâre not fixing it by pretending weâre fine.â She drew in a breath. âI want us back. The way we used to talk. The way we trusted each other with everything.â
Ethanâs thumb swept gently over her wedding band, a familiar, steadying motion. âSo do I.â
âI want to try counseling,â Cassie said, meeting his gaze head-on. âWe need help. Just you and me. No more pretending.â
She saw the flicker of protest in his eyes â instinct, reflex, a lifetime of self-reliance. So she leaned in until their foreheads touched.
âI believe weâre worth fighting for,â she whispered. âDonât you?â
He squeezed her hand. âAlways.â
Cassie rested her head on Ethanâs shoulder as the monitors hummed softly beside them.
Outside the window, the sun finally broke through the storm clouds â weak at first, then slowly gathering strength. And for the first time in months, the future didnât feel uncertain. Not when they were walking into it side by side, united as ever.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Pairing: Parker Shaw x F!MC (Pilvi Vance) - It Lives Beneath.
Word Count: 1,308 words.
Category: Fluff / Hurt/Comfort.
Rating: General.
Disclaimer: Parker belongs to Pixelberry. I own my đ MC.
A/N: Part. 16 of my Flowers serie. When I closed it at the end of last year with a heavy heart, I felt that, somehow, I would re-open it someday. This is the day! I have always wanted to write a fiction only for Parker and Pilvi, since they had only appeared in group fictions up until now. Parker lovers are usually hiding, so this is for you. đ I still hope more people will give him a chance.
My Flowers series (re)introduces my đ MCs.
And here is my Pilvi, if you are meeting them for the first time. :)
Fandom: Open Heart
Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Cassie Valentine (F!MC)
Format: Edit
A/N: I meant to post this yesterday, but the edit wasn't quite coming together. Submission for @choicesmonthlychallenge Picktober for Halloween.
The annual Halloween festivities at Donahue's were in full swing and Ethan Ramsey would rather be doing anything else than posing for a picture looking like this.
Ethan: I look ridiculous.
Cassie: Not true. You look incredibly sexy.
(proceeds to eye-fuck his bare chest)
Cassie: In fact, you're welcome to plunder my ship anytime.
Ethan: (scoffs in amusement) That was terrible.
Cassie: (grins) I was distracted by the view.
Reggie: (stares at them from behind the phone) If you two are done flirting, say "Arrr!"
Ethan: No.
Cassie: Arrr.
Summary: Thereâs nothing sexier than watching your husband assemble cots
Rating: Teen
Category: Fluff
Having twins meant double of everything. Double cots, double baskets and double the amount of clothes. It was a good job Ethan and Victoria got themselves organised otherwise they would be running around last minute. Although with Ethan on the case, Victoria knew that they had nothing to worry about as he was always well prepared.
Ethan had decided that today would be the day they set up the babies cots. Although when saying âtheyâ, Victoria meant Ethan as she could barely move and did not fancy doing anything more than she should. Ethan had given her strict instructions to sit on the sofa and not to move. Victoria didnât need to be told twice.
Ethan had totally taken to the idea or becoming a Dad. Victoria was happy to see the excitement on his face and she loved how she could give him something so special.
âYou know I can pass you the parts right? Iâm not a complete invalid.â Victoria said as she sat in the chair by the window.
âYou could. But that would involve you moving.â Ethan said not looking up from the instructions manual.
âI might swell up. And that really would not be good.â Victoria laughed.
âIf you insist, then pass me that plank of wood.â Ethan said.
Victoria made a note of smirking and keeping her eyes on Ethan as she reached for the plank of wood and passed it over to him.
âThanks.â Ethan said sarcastically.
âPleasure.â Victoria said just as sarcastically.
The further she got in her pregnancy, the more Victoriaâs hormones changed. She had been grumpy a lot more than before and then her mood would change to being happy. She knew she had been driving Ethan mad but he still loved her all the same.
There was something about Ethanâs fixing up their soon to be childrenâs cots that suddenly made him very attractive. Maybe it was just the hormones talking but there was nothing Victoria would love more than to put the screwdriver down and take Ethan to their bedroom.
âDo you think Iâm building these in the wrong places? We did say they would go there.â Ethan pointed to the corner of the room.
âI think a lot of things.â Victoria said trying to stand up in the sexy way she could before she was pregnant. âBut do you want to know what I am thinking about?â
Ethan knew what game Victoria was playing and he was more than happy to play along. âNo. What are you thinking about?â He smirked.
âI was thinking.â Victoria grinned as she ran her hands down Ethanâs chest. âAbout how sexy you look building those cots. Itâs really doing something for me.â
âOh is it? Well I guess I should get back to it then since it makes you so happy.â Ethan chuckled.
âOh no. No I think you deserve a long hard break after all your hard work. And I would like to help you with that.â Victoria winked as she took his hand.
When she gave him that look, Ethan could never say no. He was completely under her control, he followed her with his lovesick eyes to enjoy what Victoria had in store for him.
âWell that was exactly what I wanted to happen.â Ethan said breathlessly as he laid back on the pillow.
Victoria grabbed her pregnancy pillow before turning on her side and smiled at Ethan. âI always aim to please.â
âThat you certainly do. I should get back to making those cots though.â
âIâm sure it can wait another day. We can just leave the room how it is.â
âCan you still believe that weâre going to become parents? Sometimes I have to pinch myself.â Ethan said.
âI mean when I constantly get kicked I am reminded.â Victoria laughed a little. âBut I get what you mean. I didnât think either of us would end up here.â
âWhat on our backs?â Ethan joked.
Victoria rolled her eyes. âVery funny. You know it doesnât take much for you to get me on my back. Especially when you do something as hot as assemble our babies cots.â
âIt doesnât take much to get you going does it.â Ethan chuckled.
âNope. And I hope you know Mr Ramsey that that will be the case for the rest of our lives.â Victoria laughed.
âThen I cannot wait Mrs Ramsey.â Ethan smiled pressing a kiss to her forehead.
If life looked like this going forward then it was certainly going to be a good life indeed.
Victoria should get Ethan to assemble things more often.
Also a little smutty? Idk you make your minds up lol
This absolutely perfect art of my babies is by the talented and wonderful @weetlebeetle. I love this art so much and am so happy it sparked a little drabble!
Pairings: Mal Volari x Daenarya (F!OC)
Book: Blades of Light & Shadow
Word Count:Â ~550
Rating/Warnings: General, no warnings
A/N: Writing is not edited, I just wanted to have fun with it and not over think it.
"Did you see that?"
"See what?"
Mal turned and spun back around, craning his neck down the passage they had just come. He shook his head, relaxing his shoulders. "Uhâ nothing... just checking your observation skills."
"Okay..." Daenarya gave him a sideways glance, her brow raised in challenge.
"As I was sayingâ" Mal continued down the dim passageway, illuminated only by flickering flames of torches strategically placed on the walls. "The trick to stealth is to be prepared for everything, see the danger lurking before it strikes, don't let anything startle you. Be prepared, Kit, like me. Nerves of steel, ya know?" He boasted, winking her direction, focusing more on impressing her than the passage in front of him.
"Is that so?" She questioned with wide eyes, nodding in agreement with his words. Her eyes caught a glimpse of a translucent, misty form floating ahead of them. "I have so much to learn." Her fingers danced along his forearm, keeping him distracted. "What do you do if you see a potential threat... of the magical variety?" She batted her eyelashes as she drew closer.
"Well, see this here?" He gestured to the series of daggers on his hip and thighs. He shifted slightly, letting the light from the nearest flame glisten against the cool metal blades.Â
"Wow!"Â
"You see, with me, Kit, you're safer than safe. There's nothing I can't handle."
"Mmhmm." She bit her lip to hold back her amusement. She held her hand out in front of her, gesturing him forward. "I feel very safe with you by my side."Â
"As anyone should." He puffed up his chest, feeling confident and sure. As quick as the bravado rose, it deflated into an ear-piercing shriek. The color drained from his face as he leaped into her arms.
"Did the great Mal the Magnificent just scream?" She chuckled as she held him close.Â
"Ghosts are not something we mess with. And that one! Did you see the evil in its eyes? They were RED!"Â
"I think you might need to reevaluate your observation skills..." She dropped him to the ground, he landed with a thud.
Mal brushed the dust off his pants, sneaking a glimpse at the floating figure. "Oh, it's waving." He breathed easier. "See? I knew there was nothing to worry about."
"So you were pretending to be scared to lower its guard to make sure it was friendly?"
"Uh... yes... exactly. I totally meant to test its friendliness like that⊠for you." He straightened his jacket. "All part of the plan! Strategy, Kit. You'll get the hang of it one day."
"Is he always like this?" The ghostly figure questioned. Although it had no discernible mouth, its words were understood, and its friendly demeanor was conveyed in its eyes.Â
She dipped her head to the sides, weighing the question. "Yeah, but he grows on you. He's really kind of cute when you give him a chance, dramatic but cute."
"Humans are a peculiar species, I suppose..." the ghost pondered as it drifted forward. "Excuse me, please."
"Of course." Daenarya moved to the side, letting the entity pass.
Mal ran his fingers through his hair, leaning back against the wall. âCute, dramatic⊠and apparently approved by ghosts. Not a bad resume, if I say so myself.â
Daenarya shook her head, laughing. "Impossible... with a big head too! Almost forgot that part!"
"You know you love it," he flashed a rougish grin.
"Do I, though?" she teased, brushing past him as she continued down the passage, leading the way.
Thank you so much for reading. I had such a fun time writing this. It was like a weight lifting off my chest getting to see them again and to share a piece of their story. I appreciate you reading this and supporting Mal and Daenarya and all their silly little adventures â€ïž
[Mal Volari x Daenarya Blades 1 + Beyond]Â [Malâs Orphanage]
[Mal Volari x Daenarya Blades 2 + 3 AU]
Premise: Two times Ethan wished for someone to wake up to, and the one time he did. Set during different moments in intern year.
Fandom: Open Heart
Characters: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine)
Rating/Category: Teen. Fluff.
Words: 1,170
A/N: Submission to @choicesmonthlychallenge Flufftober prompt "falling asleep together".
This fic was inspired by @creativepromptsforwriting Prompt 729 (5 times Person A woke up without Person B and 1 time they woke up together.) I shortened it to fit my story. Tagging for reblog to @creativepromptfills
I.
There was something buzzing in the summer night air.
Ethan Ramsey couldnât define what it was, but it felt as if his life was hanging on the precipice of something impossible. Punching the pillow, he turned on his side and stared at the neon numbers of the digital clock on his bedside table.
Three a.m. The Witching Hour.
Not that he believed in witches, wizards, or spirits that went bump in the night. He was a man of science, after all.
And yet, he couldnât argue with Hamletâthere were more things in heaven and earth than were dreamt of in human philosophy. The mysteries of the human body were impossible to fully decipher.
So much so that he had determined to devote his life to doing exactly that. Heâd be utterly useless at it unless he managed to catch some sleep.
Sighing in the darkened bedroom, Ethan tossed and turned in the king-sized bed, unable to get comfortable or shake the vague feeling lurking in his heart.
He stared at the shadows dancing on the ceiling, pondered the city lights twinkling in the distance, and blinked as the minutes slowly turned on the clock display.
None of it helped as random thoughts crowded his brain.
Absently running his hand over the empty pillow beside him, he wondered if this was what loneliness felt like.
It had been ages since heâd woken up beside a woman, or snuggled with one in the middle of the night. He missed the closeness of two bodies tangled in heated sheets, the scent of her hair tickling his senses, the weight of her head on his shoulder.
He and Harper Emery had called it quits almost a year ago. Since then, he hadnât exactly been a monk, but he rarely invited company to spend the night. He realized he wasnât ready for the kind of commitment intimate mornings signaled.
Shaking off the strange mood, he closed his eyes and willed his mind to shut off.
With a new crop of interns starting residency tomorrowâtoday, technicallyâhe needed to be on high alert for the usual shenanigans.
II.
There was so much left unspoken in the poignant silence of a warm Miami night, with the sound of waves lapping against the white sands below.
But there was also so much he wished to sayâif only he were brave enough to grab the pocketful of stars that sparkled against the inky sky above the Atlantic Ocean.
Only a few hours ago, heâd reached for the sun and been burned, just like Icarus. Crashing back to earth, cognizant of his own folly in forgetting that he and Cassie Valentine were impossible, Ethan did the right thing.
He walked away, closing the door between them with the finality of someone who knew what it was like to dare to wish for more, but remain grounded regardless.
Folding his arm beneath his head, he stared out at the balconyânow full of dark shadows except for hints of moonlightâwhere everything had changed.
There are some things that are worth any risk.
And with those words, heâd sealed his fate.
When before he had only wondered how Cassieâs lips might taste or how she would feel in his arms, now he knew the answers intimately. Like heaven. Every curve made to fit his hands perfectly.
If it werenât for his strong moral code, sheâd be nestled against him right nowâher sunny tresses contrasting with his darker ones, their breaths mingling in the darkness, anticipation making the wait that much sweeter.
If, if, ifâŠ
Heâd be waking up beside her on the comfortable bed on the other side of the wall, instead of trying to find an angle that didnât have his long legs falling halfway off the pullout couch.
Just two and a half years to go, he consoled himself.
Once her residency ended and they were equalsâpeersâthen heâd break down the insurmountable wall between them. Ask her out on a proper date and see where this attraction took them.
Until then, heâd draw upon the control heâd relied on most of his life to get him through hardships and impossibilities, and keep his distance from temptation.
III.
One could tell a lot about someone from the state of their bedroom.
As he looked around Cassieâs inner sanctum in the dusky light of an approaching dawn, he took in the classy art prints adorning the walls and the booksâmedical and otherwiseâlined neatly in the bookcase under the window.
Photographs of smiling faces in colorful picture frames stared back at him from the bedside table. Ethan could see the family resemblance and realized he didnât know much about the woman whoâd crashed through his carefully constructed barriers.
Oh, sure, he knew she had the potential to be an amazing doctor. She was fiercely loyal to her friends and got along well with everyone, from the nursing staff to patients. She liked dogs, was a coffee aficionadoâmaybe even more than himâand was one half of a twin.
Once upon a time, heâd seen her reliance on relationshipsâher need for a support networkâas a weakness, a trait at odds with the grueling competitiveness of medical residency. But she wasnât one to give up easily; her stubbornness made up for a lack of killer instinct.
Still, so much of who Cassie was as a person remained a mystery waiting to be solved. And he wanted to be the one to uncover the woman behind the intern.
Ethan sneaked a glance at her, still wondering how she lay beside himâfinallyâas heâd slowly woken up after a night when their passion had known no boundaries.
He drew in a slow breath, her scentâsoft, elusive, utterly hersâmaking him lightheaded. Her head rested on his shoulder, her warm breath teasing the fine hairs on his chest. His arm curled around her, holding her close, his touch feather-light so as not to wake her.
He wanted to linger in this quiet intimacy, his mind replaying the moments of last night when, for once, heâd let himself believe what heâd dared to wish for could be real. It had been surreal, like watching snow fall on a winter beach.
For one night, they were two people free to be with each other, without worry or care for rules or power imbalances. Just Ethan and Cassie.
In a few hours, they would walk through the doors of Edenbrook Hospitalâseparatelyâand reality would have no choice but to intrude. Theyâd be attending and intern again. But not now.
Now was for believing it wasnât the last time heâd wake up beside her, watching the morning sunlight gilding her hair.
He didnât believe in fate, not really, but a few months ago, even the idea of last night had seemed impossible.
So maybe, just for today, for one singular heady moment, heâd let himself believe they were meant to find each other after all.
Premise: Ethan and Cassie have never been further apart than now.
Fandom: Open Heart
Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine)
Rating/Category: Teen. Angst.
Words: 1,075
Part 1 | Part 2
A/N: What started out as a two-parter is now at least 4 parts. Classic case of me taking my time and meandering as I lead up to the actual point of the story smh
Submission to @choicesmonthlychallenge Angstober prompt "Uncertain"
Boston was under a severe weather alert, but New Englanders were nothing if not hardy. They hurried about their business, bundled in bright parkas, unfazed by the rain and wind lashing cobblestone paths and asphalt streets.
Inside the rarefied air of Edenbrook Hospital, the storm was little more than a distant echo. The boom of thunder faded beneath the steady beeping of monitors and the constant hum of voicesânurses calling out vitals, the injured moaning in pain, doctors rushing to save lives in the crowded emergency department.
Outside, ambulances pulled up to the bay, disgorging patients into waiting hands before tearing off again, sirens blaring.
Her other patients taken care of, Cassie Valentine jumped into the fray. She assisted with triage, patched up cuts and bruises and diagnosed ailments with a speed that wouldâve made anyone jealous except her husband.
Ethan Ramsey was famous for his diagnostics brain, and she could only hope to match his level one day.
He was the reason she had gone to medical school. Little had she known at the time that he was her destiny in more ways than one.
During a lull in the ED, she slipped away to her office on the seventh floor, grabbing a snack from the attendantsâ lounge on the way.
Cassie checked her phone, hoping Ethan had replied to any one of her messages. She didnât like the way theyâd left things earlier. It wasnât like them, and unease had followed her around all morning.
Her face fell at the empty screen. Worse, he hadnât even left her on read. Just silence.
She jolted when the phone in her hand chimed an incoming call. For a moment, disappointment flickeredânot Ethanâbefore she schooled her features into a smile and hit accept.
âHello, my darlings,â she gushed as the nanny FaceTimed the twins in for a quick chat.
It was usually one of the favorite parts of her day.
âMama, look! We do saulting!â they chorused, tumbling across the floor in what was more crawl than somersault.
Cassie laughed and applauded as if theyâd just performed in the Olympics. Smiles and giggles filled the screen as the camera zoomed in on their faces glowing with pride.
Knowing her role, she praised them until they were both pink-cheeked and beaming.
âDaddy?â Eloise asked, peering into the screen and slapping her palm against the phone so hard that Cassieâs view jostled.
âDaddyâs not here, honey,â Cassie said gently. âHeâll call you as soon as heâs free.â
âWant Daddy!â Sophie whined, resting her head against her sister, their innocent faces covering her entire screen.
Cassieâs heart ached; the stubborn curve of their lips was all Ethan.
Sensing a tantrum brewing, Cassie sighed in relief when the nanny announced it was time for a snack. She blew them kisses and ended the call.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she dialed Ethanâs number, cursing in frustration when it went straight to voicemail.
She tried her father-in-law next. Ethan had left hours ago; even with the bad weather and traffic he shouldâve arrived in Providence by now.
âCassie!â Alanâs warm voice boomed on the other end. âHowâs my favorite daughter-in-law?â
She smiled at the familiar endearmentâEthan was an only child, after all.
âIâm well,â she replied, quickly exchanging a few pleasantries before getting to the reason for her call. âIs Ethan there? Heâs not answering his phone.â
âUh, no,â Alan said, confusion threading through his voice. âWith the storm, I thought heâd decided to cancel. In fact, I called him earlier but never heard back.â
Cassie felt her own confusion sharpen into worry, and realized from Alanâs silence that he was concerned now, too.
Promising to let him know as soon as she found out anything, she ended the call and tried to think.
Then she remembered the app they used to share their locations. Ethan hated itâcalled it Big Brother every chance he gotâbut even he had to admit it came in handy sometimes.
Before she could, her pager buzzed; an urgent message summoning her to the ED.
Instead of a patient, Cassie was surprised to find Tobias Carrick waiting for her. A few months earlier, heâd transferred back to Mass Kenmore on an interim basis, splitting his time between the two hospitals.
âHey,â she greeted, smiling despite the tension in the air. âWhat are you doing here?â
His expression was uncharacteristically grave, no hint of the arrogant smirk sheâd come to appreciate after years of working together.
âEthanâs been in an accident. Heâs okay!â Tobias added quickly as her heart plummeted. Cassie gripped the edge of the nursesâ station to steady herself.
âTheyâre treating him at Mass Kenmore,â he continued. âI hitched a ride on the inter-hospital transportâdidnât want you to hear about this through the grapevine. Itâs heading back in five, so grab your coat. Weâll go together.â
âNo time,â she said, already moving. âJust take me to him.â
The ride felt agonizingly slow, even with the sirens clearing their path. Huddled in the back of the rocking vehicle, Cassie was grateful for the hoodie one of the paramedics had handed her.
âHe was unconscious when they brought him in. Concussion from where he hit his head,â Tobias said, giving her a quick rundown of what he knew.
âThe paramedics said heâd been treating others on the side of the road when they arrived, so they didnât think it was serious. The ER team found multiple contusions across his chest from the seatbelt. One rib was bruised badly enough to cause a pneumothorax.â
Cassie nodded to show she was listening, and he continued. âYou can guess what happened next. They were about to perform a thoracotomy when I left to come get you.â
âYou know better than anyone itâs a standard procedure, and safe,â he said as the ambulance began to slow. âThey wouldâve paged me if anything had changed.â
Through the windshield, Cassie caught sight of the imposing ambulance bay of Mass Kenmore Hospital coming into view.
Flashing lights reflected off the glass doors to the emergency department as the vehicle rolled to a stop. Cassieâs pulse quickened.
She braced herself, stepping down from the back of the vehicle, and closed her eyes to whisper a silent prayer.
âPlease, God, let him be okay.â
Ethan was agnostic, but she had plenty of faith for both of them. She had to believe it was enough.
Ethan, Kaycee, and their six-year-old daughter Emma head out for a little fall adventure, but it doesn't go quite as planned.
Fandom: Open Heart (Post-Series)
Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Kaycee (F!MC)
Rating: Teen
Words: ~745
Summary: See above
A/N: Participating in @choicesmonthlychallenge Propmts: hay ride, boots, spider webs. Also participating in @fictober-event Prompt: Why would they do this?
Ethan knew something was off from the start. The teenage boy behind the ticket counter glanced at himâthen at Emma, who was holding his hand and talking a mile a minuteâthen back to Kaycee.
âAre you sure youâre up for this?â he asked, amusement flickering in his eyes. âThis rideâs not for the faint of heart.â
Kaycee raised a brow, her Philly attitude kicking in. âItâs a hayride,â she declared. âI think we'll survive.â
âAll right,â he shrugged. âThatâll be seventy-five dollars.â
As they followed the dirt path toward the waiting wagon, Ethan leaned close, lowering his voice so Emma wouldnât hear. âKaycee... what do you think he meant by that? Do you think this ride is scary?â
âScary?â Kaycee scoffed. âThe only scary thing about it is the price. Seventy-five dollars?â
Ethan had to laugh. âUsually Iâd be the one griping about that. Your role is to say, as long as we make family memories and get great pictures, itâs worth it.â
âAnd Iâd be right,â she smirked. âThereâs nothing better than pumpkin season! And I assure you â this is wonât be scary!â
A half hour later, she was eating those words.
The wagon jolted forward through a tunnel of barren trees draped in cobwebs.
âItâs all right,â Kaycee insisted. âTheyâre fake â itâs not like real spiders spun them.â
But as they rolled beneath the branches, dozens of rubber spiders dropped from above, prompting a chorus of shrieks.
âGreat,â Ethan deadpanned, draping a protective arm around his daughter. âPerfectly wholesome family fare.â
Moments later, a bloodcurdling scream emerged through a thicket of trees, and Emmaâs head shot up. âWas that part of the ride?â she asked, eyes wide.
âProbably?â He replied, though his voice was laced with uncertainty.
Before he could elaborate, a cloaked figure lunged from the trees, chainsaw roaring. The wagon erupted in screams, and Kaycee nearly launched herself into Ethanâs lap.
âOh my God!â she cried, clutching his sleeve. "Why would they do this?" she cried. "It's a hayride!"
"I think you missed the word haunted in the description," Ethan grumbled, before carrying on about researching before we book an outing, but he stopped cold when he heard Emmaâs delighted laugh breaking through.
âThat was awesome!â The pig-tailed girl beamed.
Ethan's jaw dropped. âAwesome?â
âYeah, awesome!â Emma confirmed, sticking her tongue out at a scary monster.
âYouâre... youâre not scared?â Kaycee asked, breathless.
âNo, Mommy!â Emma giggled. âItâs just pretend!â
Another shriek echoed as a headless horseman charged past them in the fog. Kaycee gasped â Ethan jerked so fast his glasses flew into a nearby hay bale. But Emma? Emmaâs laughter only grew louder.
âDaddy, did you see that? He didnât even have a head!â
âYeah,â Ethan managed, forcing a smile. âI caught that.â
As they moved deeper into the woods, skeletons swung from branches, a mummy rose from a coffin, and a zombie clown stumbled toward them with a ghoulish grin. Kayceeâs heart was racing. Ethan shut his eyes. But with each new creature that jumped out at them, Emmaâs exuberance only grew.
When the wagon finally pulled away from the trees, Ethanâs shoulders sagged in relief. Kaycee exhaled, half laughing, half trembling, while Emma beamed like she had conquered the world.
âAgain! Again!â She screamed as Ethan helped her off the wagon. âCan we do it again?â
âYou didnât think it was too scary?â he asked.
âNah!â she said proudly. âIâm brave. Just like you, Daddy.â
âJust like, Daddy!â Kaycee exclaimed. âWhat are you talking about? Daddy was shaking like a leaf!â
Ethan cleared his throat. âYouâre right, Emma â youâre exactly like me!â
Kaycee straightened Emmaâs scarf with a laugh, then looped her arm through Ethanâs.
âJust like you,â she whispered as they walked toward the cider stand, boots crunching over fallen leaves. âYou screamed before me.â Â
âI was startled,â he said, solemnly. âNot scared â thereâs a difference.â
âThereâs no difference,â Kaycee laughed. âYou jumped higher than Anthony Edwards â but nowhere near as graceful.â
âMaybe next year, we should stick to apple picking,â he sighed, pulling her closer.
âAgreed! No masks. No chainsaws. Just apples.â
But Emma had different ideas. âUh-uh!â She sang, hands on her hips. âWeâre doing this again next year! But next time â can we sit closer to the front?â
Ethan groaned as Kaycee laughed. âWho does she get this from?â
âBeats me,â he said. âBut next year, weâre sending her with Uncle Bryce and Uncle Tobias.â
âWould we warn them?â Kaycee smirked.
Ethanâs eyes twinkled with delight. "Now, where would the fun be in that?"
Happy Birthday to the Valentine Twins. It was a quiet one this year because Sienna is due with their second child in a few weeks and Max is staying close to home. Cassieâs pregnancy is taking a toll on her, and she wasnât in the mood to travel. So, unlike previous years Cassie and Max celebrated apart for now. But theyâll make up for lost time as soon as they can.
Autumn is a place where words fall short. It is a magic that must be felt, breathed, experienced, and treasured.
Bryce and Olivia surrounded by the magic of the season by the wonderful @misadrawss. Fall is the loveliest of all and Misa captured that beauty so splendidly.
The last few months have been challenging. Every time I think things are getting better and real life seems to be calming down so I can try to come back here, something else happens. I'm hoping that October will turn things around. Fall is truly my favorite season and such a magical time of year. I hope to enjoy it and maybe find some opportunities to create fall adventures for my babies.
Summary: Holidays are the best time to try new things
Rating: General Audiences
Category: Fluff
Victoria thought that Ethan would take a lot of persuading to try new things on their honeymoon but it turns out it was easier than she thought.
She had planned the honeymoon out and had researched all the water activities Hawaii had to offer. Victoria didnât realise one place could offer so much but given where they were, it shouldnât have really come as a surprise.
Today was the day they would try snorkelling. It was an activity Ethan could stomach although there were other ones that he enjoyed more. He gave Victoria a wink when he said that to her.
âYou know, maybe we shouldâve gone with an activity that was on land.â Victoria said looking nervously down into the water.
âThereâs no backing out now.â Ethan laughed. âAnd what kind of activities can be done on land?â
âPolishing the surfboards?â
âWell thatâs just boring.â Ethan said.
âI kinda forgot how big the ocean is. What if I get bitten by a shark?â Victoria said.
âYouâve been bitten by a child before remember? That was an eventful shift.â
âI still canât believe the Mom thought I was responsible for that.â Victoria laughed a little.
âWell he kept saying it hurt.â Ethan shrugged.
âDonât take his side! I think I still have the scar.â Victoria examined her arm.
âWell while youâre examine the bite, Iâll see you in there.â Ethan said.
Without hesitation, he jumped in and Victoria saw him go further below the surface. Sometimes Ethan surprised her. He would often turn his nose up at things but when it came to planning the honeymoon, he was more open than Victoria thought he would be. Maybe she shouldnât have doubted him so much. People had often said she had changed him for the better.
Sometimes she still hesitated in life. It was natural given what she had been through but there were times where she never felt like holding back. She knew she had to cherish every moment she got. It was more than Danny got.
Without thinking about it a second longer, Victoria jumped in. She never knew why she worried. The minute she was in the ocean she felt at ease. She could see Ethan ahead of her, exploring everything around him.
Victoria took in her surroundings. The ocean was a beautiful place. There was so much wildlife around her. The water was more blue than she could ever have imagined. Hawaii really was a magical place.
For their allocated time, Ethan and Victoria spent time exploring the water, it was definitely something they will never forget.
âThat wasnât so bad was it.â Ethan said as they dried off.
âNo it wasnât. Iâm glad I did it. Now we can try the paragliding.â Victoria laughed.
âNow that will still take some persuading.â
Whilst she had a say in the activities, Ethan had a say in the food. He hadnât let Victoria down just yet but she was skeptical when he said they would be staying in tonight for food. He had told her he would like it so she was going to take his word.
âAre you going to tell me what the surprise is?â Victoria asked.
âNo. That would be giving too much away.â
âYou know Iâm impatient.â Victoria rolled her eyes.
âYes. Which is why Iâm not telling you.â Ethan laughed.
âBut I will like it?â
âWell I hope so otherwise I wouldâve gone to all this effort for nothing.â
âNever the case. Although I do hope there is cake.â
Victoria didnât have to wait long. The food was soon in their room and Victoria was impressed with how much effort Ethan had gone to. All of her favourite foods plus the ones she had planned to try whilst out in Hawaii were currently sat in front of her.
âHow did you manage all this?â Victoria said.
âI have my ways.â
âYou definitely do. I didnât realise one room service tray could hold so much.â Victoria laughed.
âI think it was more than one.â Ethan said grabbing a champagne bottle. âShall I do the honours?â
âAs always.â Victoria smiled holding up her glass.
The honeymoon was just the beginning. The toast was to new things and new adventures.
Victoria and Ethan couldnât wait to see what was next for them.