Optimism: the feeling that rushes through Ava when Sarah accepts hers and Connor’s offers to go out on a date.
Creativity: the act of carefully curating first, second, and third dates with the curly haired psychiatry resident, hours spent meticulously planning each detail while Connor slept soundly beside the blonde CT surgeon.
Happiness: the feeling of waking up in her lovers’ arms, the dark clouds which had obscured her vision these past few weeks fading away with sunlight finally peeking through.
Betrayal: the act of injecting her potential father-in-law with a synthetic form of insulin, fleeing from the scene as he goes into cardiac arrest only to come back running to try and save him, her face being the last thing he sees as he passes.
Fear: the feeling running through her veins as Dr. Latham reveals the batch she’d used to take Cornelius’s life was in fact traceable to her.
Cowardice: the act of staring at her partners one last time in the Hybrid OR Connor has divested so much of his time and energy to perfect, as she takes a scalpel to her carotid artery.
Madness: the feeling of relief she feels when Connor runs to her slumped over body to stem the bleeding and try to save the woman he loves while Sarah tears about the OR, ready to help perform surgery despite years of psychiatry at a second’s notice.
“Can I stay here tonight?” for someone new!au, not long after sarah's joined the relationship?
Stay | Someone New
Poly!Rheesker; sometimes someone needs a reminder
WC: I don’t know lmao
CW: I mean kind of allusion to Spicy Stuff near the end but not enough for me to say minors DNI
***
Ava had fallen asleep on the long sectional couch, her head on Connor’s thigh and her legs sprawled across Sarah’s. Her partners didn’t mind, she had had a long day of surgeries and deserved the rest. Still, it was getting pretty late and Sarah felt a bit awkward. She didn’t want to stay at their place too long in case Connor wanted to go to bed and yet she didn’t have the heart to wake up her girlfriend in that moment.
Sarah had joined the couple a few weeks prior, after a few casual dates and some not-so-casual nights together. She had never been in a poly relationship so it was like treading new waters every day, but she was never truly uncomfortable. She had connected with both Connor and Ava so quickly and something about being with them felt so right. The way she felt when she kissed either of them and the butterflies that woke up in her stomach the second they made eye contact across the room was indication enough. She was falling in love with them both, as a unit and as individuals, and she wanted this quiet comfort to continue.
“Connor?”
“Hmm?” Her boyfriend reached for the remote from where it was wedged between Ava’s arm and the couch. He made sure to lower the volume on the tv, effectively dampening the sound of the TEDtalk they had been watching. She loved when he did that, something so simple as giving her his full attention. Being heard and prioritized wasn’t something Sarah was used to and she had begun to enjoy the feeling.
“Could I-,” she sighed at her the nervous waver in her voice, “Can I stay here tonight?”
His million dollar smile was enough to set her heart aflutter, “Of course you can, baby. You don’t have to ask so formally.”
“Are you sure? I mean I don’t want to intrude or anything but Ava- I mean I don’t wanna wake her up and it’s getting pretty late and…”
“Sarah, slow down,” gentle fingers caught her chin and guided her to make eye contact again, “You’re okay, you don’t have to explain yourself.”
“I-.”
“Sarah Reese if I hear one more excuse I’ll drag you to bed myself,” Ava’s muffled voice piped up from between them. She had been half awake for a while but just enjoyed the comfort of being between her two favourite people. She knew their girlfriend was anxious and unsure about making first moves but she needed to know that this relationship was built on trust.
“Sorry…”
“Don’t apologize, just know you’re always welcome, okay?”
Connor nodded, his hand carding through her hair in a soothing gesture, “You’re here because we care about you, you know that? You’re every part as important in our relationship regardless of how long you’ve been with us.”
Sarah pouted a little at their words, breaking eye contact with Ava because the amused smirk on her face was making her flustered. She was, however, put in an even more flustering situation when Ava shifted on the couch. She settled herself down on Sarah’s lap with ease, grinning at her as she watched the realization dawn on the younger’s face.
“You better believe that,” she murmured, “Unless you need a reminder?”
Unable to contain a squeak of embarrassment, Sarah hid her face in Ava’s shoulder. That made them both laugh and Connor tapped on Ava’s hip gently, “Don’t tease her.”
Sarah grumbled something in agreement but Ava just looked content with herself and the position she had put them in. She kissed the side of her head and peeked at her to see the big smile that had grown on her face. Mission accomplished, Ava decided, because Sarah visibly relaxed into her touch.
“Better?”
“Yeah…”
“Good,” Connor watched them fondly, especially when Ava bent to kiss her but stopped just inches away, asking her quietly if it was okay. They were both surprised when Sarah nodded and ended up being the one to close the gap. Her confidence came in small bursts but when it did it was the most attractive either of them had seen Sarah.
When they parted, Sarah smiled when she saw the way Connor was watching them. He did it a lot, the mixture of admiration and wanting fighting with his wish to not interrupt them. Ava noticed too and laughed, holding onto Sarah’s hand for stability while she leaned over to kiss their boyfriend. Her free hand had moved to Ava’s hip, not wandering but her fingers tapping gently against the bone rhythmically.
It was Connor who said what everyone was thinking, pulling away from Ava momentarily, “Are you sure you don’t need that reminder, Sarah?”
From the medical prompts list - delirium for Ava (any setting/fic of your choice) <3
Thank you for the submission! This fic contains drug addiction and withdrawal. It takes place in my brand-new addict!ava rheesker au!
Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter - addict!ava, rheesker (rhodes/reese/bekker)
(A/N) idk if i like this but whatever, enjoy! first rheesker fic!
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"Ava, do you know where you are?"
"Med..." She slurred, drooling onto her vomit-covered chin. Her left shoulder jerked forward repetitively a few times, and she moaned.
"Ava, you're at my apartment, can you tell me what you took?" Connor spoke in a stable, yet urgent, tone, "I can't help you unless you tell me what you took."
"Why are you in my house?" Ava hardly moved her blue-tinged lips when she spoke, making her speech practically incoherent. Connor looked around for any clues, rolling up the blonde's sleeves for bruising.
No fucking way.
"Ava, just head over to my place. I know your lease doesn't end for another week, but there's no reason for you to sleep on that air mattress when I have a perfectly good apartment you can sleep at."
Instead of the expected bruising from an injection site, he found something horrifying: A janky PICC line in her bicep.
"Ava, where did you get this PICC line?" He prompted, shaking her shoulder to get her attention, "Did you put this in yourself?"
It certainly didn't seem like the work of a premier surgeon, who he happened to know excelled in central line placement, but putting one in by herself would have been a whole other ball game. Impossible, certainly impossible without an X-ray machine.
The PICC line was certainly not the greatest work - If a doctor did that to a patient, he'd be out of a job. There was blood leaking out from around the catheter, clotting up under the clear dressing.
There was trash in the area; The remnants of a saline flush and a heparin flush, a dressing change kit, a used swab cap, three unlabeled syringes (presumably from whatever drug she had used), a used Biopatch, and all the packaging from those supplies.
"Siri, text Sarah," He yelled frantically, running for the package of Narcan, and his keys.
"What would you like to say to Sarah?"
"Ava overdosed, giving Narcan and taking her to med. Meet us in the ER," Connor barked. He ripped open the box, grabbed an auto-injector, and pulled it out of it's case to start the instructional audio.
"Okay, it's sent."
He pulled off the red safety guard once he got back to Ava. He placed the end on her outer thigh shakily, and pressed down as hard as he could. He felt it click. Ava grunted.
"5," The pen's voice started, "4, 3," Connor stared at Ava's face, "2, 1. Injection complete."
Connor moved up to her chest, administering a rough sternal rub. Ava's eyes flickered open, "What the fuck?"
"Glad you're here Avie, let's get you to Med," Connor threaded one arm under her arms and one arm under her knees and lifted.
"No, no... I don't need Med, stop..."
"Is that... Coke?" Connor asked, in shock. Ava looked up at him once she was done, and shook her head. She sniffled a little bit.
"Low dose of Oxycodone," She said, "My doctor prescribed it because..." She paused for a moment, "I get crazy pain on my period."
Connor raised an eyebrow, "You have opioids for... Period pain?"
"You wouldn't get it."
Connor carried her into the waiting room, and through the doors.
"Connor?!"
"Ava Bekker, IV drug overdose, had one dose of Narcan and woke up, passed out en route."
Maggie was shocked, "Treatment three..? Uh... Will, treatment three."
"And page Sarah!"
"Dr. Charles said that high functioning addicts are one of the most dangerous types of addicts, because they are less likely to see that they have a problem and seek help."
"Sarah, I'm not an addict."
"Hey, I just got your text what... How?"
"Something IV. We're waiting on the tox screen. Er... Look at this," Connor scooted closer to the bed, and rolled up Ava's sleeve, showing Sarah the janky PICC line.
"She got... She got a central line? What doctor would-"
"She placed it herself, Sarah."
Sarah's mouth fell open. She looked at the sleeping Ava on the hospital bed, held her hands up in front of her, "Wait," She shook her head. Tears welled up in her eyes, "Wait, Ava, we went out to dinner last night, she bought a bottle of some... fancy wine, she came back to my place, she helped me pack, we were supposed to move in, what is going on!?"
"Sarah, she's being treated, she's going to be fine," Connor looked up at Sarah, "She's going to get to go home."
"I'm not letting her come home," Sarah said sharply, "Not until she goes to rehab and comes out sober. AND enrolls in outpatient care."
"You sound so angry," He looked up at her, "We knew this would happen, we talked about it. We've even talked about it with Ava. Why do you sound so surprised?"
Sarah shrugged and rolled her eyes, pulling up a seat next to Connor, "I don't know. I just... I'm just stressed out. Working, moving in with you, now this? I just," She gave a short sigh, "I feel like I'm drowning in it all."
The two sat silently for a moment. Sarah reached her hand out to where Connor was holding Ava's, and held both of their hands in her left hand.
"Are they going to pull the line?"
"I assume so, but I don't know when."
"Street drugs? Jesus, Ava, do you even know how much damage I saw from street drugs when I worked in the ED?"
"I have rounds," Sarah looked at her watch, "Sorry. Um, page me if anything changes or if she gets moved up onto a floor, and let me know when you get tox screen results," She started to leave, then turned back around, "..I love you, Con," She looked over to Ava, "I love you, Ava."
Ava, of course, didn't respond. But Connor did, "I love you too, Sarah."
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(A/N) idk if i like this, but it's a good start for this au! i know for sure that placing a picc line yourself is a horrible, dangerous thing, and nearly impossible, but just wait for the next part of this :)
What song fits your pairing the most? - Butterflies by Kacey Musgraves.
It’s basically a song about finding a new love after one that was very destructive and one that tried to belittle your tear you down. Which fits along with my idea of what Ava and Sarah would be facing when Sarah comes back from Texas.
any spare thoughts/head canons for someone new au?
Oh always
Ava has to sleep on the left side of the bed, Connor and Sarah sometimes switch who is in the middle but Ava always gets the left lmao
This only changes when she’s had a bad day or isn’t feeling well because those are the times she needs the extra comfort/security of being between her partners
Also shortly after Sarah joined their relationship and it became clear she wouldn’t be leaving, Connor decided to surprise the girls by buying them a new bed
A Wyoming king bed to be exact which is. Huge and this man does not skimp on comfort so it was a very nice and very expensive one lmao
Don’t ask how he got this into their apartment, it was a disaster and almost cost them their bedroom door but they got it eventually 💀
Ava spent hours online looking for the perfect bedsheets and buying throw pillows to fit her ✨vision✨
She went with a forest green and white theme that she was very proud of
Sarah was just excited that one of the blankets was a satin texture because that’s her favourite so she’s always stimming with it (autism things 😌) 
Sarah, the absolute sweetheart she is, likes to make playlists for people when she finds songs that makes her think of them
Particularly for her partners, obviously
Their playlists are named “♡ Avey ૮ • ﻌ - ა” and “♡ Connor ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ”
Ava was the first to find out about said playlists because she was using Sarah’s Spotify to play music in the car
Teasing definitely ensued
Connor thinks it’s absolutely adorable <3
Sarah did end up sharing the links with them
And Ava loves to listen to hers if she’s feeling down because it just makes her heart go 💞💖💕💞💖
(I could actually make these playlists if anyone is interested)
Cuddle puddle
I would call it a cuddle pile but. Nope they just melt into each other
Rip to Sarah who often gets squished
It’s out of love <3
One time Connor made the mistake of tickling Ava when they were all cuddling
He may have had bruised ribs <3 never underestimate Ava’s kicking strength 💀
Sarah, who just wanted to cuddle but had to diffuse the situation: :(
But in all seriousness they’re all pretty physically affectionate (or in Ava’s case just really handsy 🙂)
Sarah: Ava that is my boob
Ava: :) I know :)
Connor: 👀 oh
So cuddling after a long day is really nice <3
Ava is not one to make other people her phone wallpaper
BUT she has an exception
Because the photo she got of Connor and Sarah when she came home from a night shift was far too cute to not see every day
They must have been watching tv in the living room before falling asleep
Connor was laying on Sarah’s chest and the protective hand she had on the back of his head even in sleep was the sweetest thing
Both of Ava’s partners get shy when they see that photo
But it’s definitely a favourite because it’s just the cutest moment of vulnerability
Case study dates !!!
When they have lots of paperwork to do or a particular patient case they have to work on at home
Such as figuring out treatment plans or planning surgeries
They three of them will spread their stuff out on the kitchen table and just work in each other’s company
Sarah always puts on lofi or classical music (“it helps your brain stay focused!!”)
They usually have coffee and Ava is happy to share her huge collection of colourful highlighters (headcanon that Ava is a stationary fiend lmao)
Connor likes to talk out loud to logic out particularly tough cases and the girls like to listen and help if possible
And Sarah, while she was never interested in surgery, loves to hear her partners talk about work
Because she does find herself missing the day to day medical aspects of being a doctor that she doesn’t always do as a psychiatrist
So hearing stories about it and using her randomly researched knowledge to understand cardio/trauma surgeries is fun for her
Also she just adores the way Connor and Ava light up when they talk about hearts lmao
warnings: general autism speaks trigger warnings, ableism, eugenics reference
word count: 511
read it on ao3
Sarah’s never really understood the whole puzzle piece thing. She could hazard a guess as to why autism moms lapped all that crappy blue puzzle piece merch up; a flashing siren to alert the world that their personality is solely comprised of talking about how hard it is to have a disabled kid.
But even though she could rationalise and comprehend why they used the motif, she couldn’t ever understand it entirely. She wasn’t missing the last piece to complete herself, be it the centre of the picture or the furthest corner, she wasn’t defective.
Her neurotype didn’t mean she should be returned to the manufacturer with a scathing email demanding a refund and compensation. It wasn’t deserving of a rushed complaint put online for the world to see in the hopes of going viral. It wasn’t deserving of mockery and hardships at every turn.
Ava got it, to an extent. Both of their disorders were heavily stigmatised by society, something which their boyfriend had only beared witness to in bits and pieces. But while the stigma she faced came from the likes of cop dramas and shitty horror films, ones she could turn off as and when she wanted, Sarah didn’t get the luxury.
The day she sees the Autism Speaks poster in the ED, the blue puzzle piece mocking her as she does her rounds on the floor, is the day that Sarah has a meltdown in the unsterilised OR that Connor and Ava had just been doing surgery in. Ms Goodwin could rip her a new one for all she cared, because if provoked, Sarah would give back as good as she got.
How could the world say she’s incomplete when this is who she’s been her entire life? How could the world insinuate that she was some fragile, incomplete puzzle with no means of being fixed? How, after all this time, could the eugenicists who flock to the mommy forums say that it’s better to be dead than autistic?
Her partners find her in the middle of the room, flapping her hands carelessly and whacking her face and thighs as she stims viciously. Despite the daring surgery they’d just pulled off, neither of the surgeons feel victorious as they watch their girlfriend meltdown in front of them, her voice gone hoarse with how long and loudly she’d been vocally stimming.
Over and over again, tongue clicking and screams intermingled with the words “never broken, never fixed”, over and over again.
There was no magical puzzle piece that could fix whatever society deemed to be broken, but there was no need. Because when she catches a glimpse of Connor and Ava crouching down beside her, each of them taking one of her hands to redirect her stims into something less harmful, she knows that the one thing they’ve never seen her as, is incomplete.
(the poster gets taken down the moment connor leaves the or suite, the cardiothoracic surgeon making it abundantly clear that if anyone had a problem with it, they could take it up with him.)
Prompt: roadtrip (from @purple-dahlias’s July challenge)
CW: none
“Connor if you put that absolutely mindless playlist on again, so help me-,” The blonde in the seat beside him grabbed at the aux cord before he could react. Ava looked smug as she fished her phone from her pocket, opening her Spotify to find the right podcast.
“Like your medical podcasts are any better, Ava,” her boyfriend grumbled, “We’re going on this trip to take a break from work, you know that?”
“Okay gimme the cord,” Sarah peeked around Ava’s seat with a grabby handed motion. She had heard enough bickering from her partners since she switched off driving with Connor an hour before.
“Please no lofi or classical music, Connor will fall asleep at the wheel,” Ava muttered, watching her girlfriend shake her head with a small smile.
No one was expecting the bass coming from the speakers to echo through their seats as a Slipknot song started, the two surgeons sharing a look as they saw Sarah staring out the window and lip syncing along.
“ you've made me the happiest i've ever been. “ for someone new!au 👀
Happier Than Ever | Someone New
Poly!Rheesker; Sarah lets herself be vulnerable
Prompt: “You’ve made me the happiest I’ve ever been”
WC: 987
CW: Just fluffy polyam content
***
Love had always been a rocky subject for Sarah. She had the capacity to love, as far as she knew, but sometimes it was hard to believe. With the way her father was and the lack of attention she received from her mother, she always felt like maybe she wasn’t deserving of love and care. As much as she loved her parents by default, their relationship felt hollow and empty from the moment her dad left all those years ago. Making the move to Chicago was a reset she needed and while she didn’t expect to, she found herself surrounded by people who wanted to be there for her.
Meeting Ava in that bar on a cold February night wasn’t exactly part of the plan but she didn’t mind the older woman’s flirting at all. Instead she relished in it, letting her buy her another soda (because she wasn’t in the mood for alcohol) and listening to her sweet accent turn mundane words into poetry. She became fond of the other woman almost immediately and was pleased when the night ended with a gentle kiss on her cheek. Even though in the moment she was confused by Ava’s final words.
“You’re too cute,” she murmured in her ear, “If you’re comfortable, I’d like to introduce you to my boyfriend one day.”
Sarah had been taken aback when that was her parting sentence, wondering if she was just inadvertently invited to a threesome. She didn’t think much of it, though, because the woman had not even gotten her number or her last name. That time in the bar in Ava’s company had been sweet, yet Sarah did not expect to ever see her again; much less end up in her bed nearly every night for months.
“Love,” that same warm tone in her ear again was what tore her from a midday nap, “Are you joining us for lunch?”
Sarah’s eyes fluttered open at that, sitting up slowly to avoid bonking her head off Ava’s. The blonde chuckled when she looked at her in slight confusion, clearly still half asleep.
“Connor made lunch,” she reiterated, “And it is almost two.”
“Okay…” Sarah murmured and then paused as she gazed at her girlfriend for a moment, “Kiss?”
The slight flush on Ava’s pale cheeks surprised her, wondering why that got her so flustered. Ava just smiled at her before leaning closer to press the requested kiss to her lips.
“God, you’re adorable,” she sighed, “Now it's time to get up.”
***
After their plates had been cleared and upcoming work schedules had been discussed, the trio agreed to have a movie night later on. Connor kept suggesting movies that both his girlfriends shook their heads at, leading to a bit of bickering as Ava cleared the table.
“We are not watching all the John Wick movies,” Sarah groaned, “We watched those last time, plus you fell asleep halfway through the second one!”
“Which is why we should watch them again.”
“Connor, pick something else or I’ll steal your movie choice.”
“Well that’s not fair.”
“Neither am I,” Ava answered, “This isn’t a democracy, darling.”
“Uh-huh, then what is it?”
“A benevolent matriarchy; you’re outnumbered,” she laughed at her own words but leaned down to kiss the top of his head on her way past him.
Connor rolled his eyes at that and Sarah just watched them fondly, leaning back in her chair a bit. The way the two’s bickering and love melded into a playful banter was amusing and it made her happy to see.
They had been together for about two years before Ava met Sarah, long distance dating while the blonde was still in her residency back in South Africa. Sarah had worried at first that she would feel left out, coming into a relationship built on years of communication and love, yet she was pleasantly proved wrong. All she had ever felt in their relationship was love and support, even if they had a fight or needed space. There was no jealousy or fear of losing one of them because it was always made clear that she was wanted and even needed.
“You okay, Sarah?”
Connor’s question tore her from her thoughts and she looked up at him, seeing Ava had gone to start on dishes. She nodded slowly, “Just thinkin’”
“About what?” he prompted and pulled another chair closer so he could sit beside his girlfriend. Her smile grew and she reached out to take his hand, linking their fingers together loosely before replying.
“You, both of you.”
Ava’s playful teasing, “Aw!” from across the room made her partners laugh. Sarah waited for the giggles to subside before she continued, her free hand tapping on the wooden table top.
“You’ve made me the happiest I’ve ever been, I mean that.”
Maybe it was the way Connor squeezed her hand or the adorable pouty look from Ava but Sarah wanted to cry. They would be happy tears, but she had to fight them off nonetheless. It didn’t help that Connor noticed and kissed her forehead, murmuring that she made him just as happy every single day.
This was something so foreign to Sarah, constant validation that she was loved even if she wasn’t doing anything to earn it. She felt more safe and genuinely admired than she ever thought was possible. Loving more than one person had always been a thought in the back of her mind but never in a billion years did she think anyone, much less two people, would give her just as much love back. It was the happiest she had felt in almost a decade and she was truly grateful for the decisions that brought her partners into her life all those months before.
