a romance-y christmas.

the part where miranda hates ben (not really)

a/n: hey guys!! still christmas eve here, and i just finished this chapter. this is more of a warm-up & more build up, until christmas, where miranda & ben wake up to a surprise ;))

anywayy i hope yall like this!!

-jyka💕

"3-0 silk, Bokhee." Miranda asked the nurse, as her ringtone set off.

"Can someone please get that?" She barely looked up from the open body cavity she was operating on.

"It's a 'Ben Warren.'" The nurse who picked her phone up spoke.

Miranda nodded. "Accept the call and tell him I'm still in surgery. Thank you."

"Hello? Dr. Bailey's still in surgery." She heard the nurse talk. "Alright, I'll make sure to tell her."

"Dr. Bailey, he said that he's taking your son to his apartment because Joey wants to play." Her tone was unsure, but Miranda understood.

"Thank you, Ruth."

A couple of hours passed, and her surgery finished. She went down to the pit.

"Are there any more?" Miranda asked Richard.

He shook his head. "We had a ton of hypothermia, and drowned patients. We lost 5. The responders are still rescuing the ones in the lake, but they're redirected to Mercy West. We've reached our capacity."

She frowned. "Mercy West?" She thought about Ben. As a physician, it's his duty to report to his hospital, but her son was with him.

Richard nodded, then headed to Trauma 1, where a patient was coding.

Miranda pulled her phone out, dialing Ben's number as she went up to the lounge. It rang twice, heading to voicemail. At the third ring, he picked up.

"Benjamin Warren, you better be in your apartment with my son, or I swear to God--

"Hello to you, too, Miranda Bailey." His voice was sluggish and raspy, as if he'd just woken from a nap. "Your son is here with mine. They're both asleep. And I was, too, until you called."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Good. Alright."

"Where did you think I was?"

"They're redirecting the victims to Mercy West. We're at capacity. I thought you'd be on call."

Ben made a noise. "Shit. I've been paged twelve times. Shit!"

There was rustling in the background and Miranda's frowned again. "Hey! If you think you're gonna my son leave alone, you got another thing coming."

He panted. "No, no. I'm taking them to Mercy West with me."

"What? No!" Miranda rubbed her forehead, and got dressed quickly. "I'm free. I'll pick him up. Wait for me."

×+×+×+×

When Ben Warren opened the door to his apartment, shirtless, with only a towel covering the lower half of his body, Miranda froze.

"Hey, Miranda." His voice ran through her, making her shudder. His chest was broad, and his muscles flexed with his every move. She had to physically stop herself from touching him.

"Is wearing a shirt too much for you?" Her gaze darted around the neat room, avoiding the very naked chest all up in her face.

He smiled shyly at her, and reached for a maroon shirt. "Sorry, I was just out of the shower."

Images of him naked and wet inside his shower filled her head. She cursed herself under her breath. She disliked him. He was an arrogant prick, and she doesn't like him.

Yeah, right, a voice in her head said.

"Where's my son?"

Ben lead her deeper to the apartment. They reached a hallway. He opened a door on the right.

"Here."

Miranda stepped inside, seeing Tuck with Joey, both of them sleeping in the small bed against the wall.

"Can you wake Joey, too?" Ben whispered behind her.

She nodded, and stepped towards her son. She reached an arm out and shook his arm. "Tuck, baby? Mommy's here. We need to go home."

He stirred in his sleep, making Joey move too. "Joey, you need to wake up too."

After a few more rousing sentences, they both woke up, groggy. Miranda took Tuck's hand, and led him in the living room. Joey and Ben followed suit, with the older man already fully-dressed.

"We gotta go, Joey, come on." Ben grunted as he picked Joey up. "Damn, you're heavy, little man."

Joey giggled, and put his hands around his father's neck. Miranda smiled at the interaction. No matter how much she despises him, he really is a good father.

They headed outside, and stopped as they waited in the elevators. "Thank you."

Ben frowned at her statement. "What?"

"I said, 'thank you.' For, taking care of my son." Miranda shrugged, a soft smile on her face. "Don't make me take it back."

He smiled. "No problem. And, you have a beautiful smile."

She blushed involuntarily. "T-thanks."

His smile widened as they got on the elevator. They reached the first level, and separated ways.

"Merry Christmas, Miranda." He smiled at her before he headed to his car.

"Merry Christmas," she replied. "Say goodbye to Joey, honey."

"Bye, Joey!" Her son waved.

"Bye, Tuck. I hope Santa will give you your present." The little guy had a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Miranda frowned and looked at Tuck.

He smiled. "I hope so."

"Mommy?" Tuck spoke up as they buckled in her car.

"Yes, baby?" She looked at him in the backseat.

"Do you like Dr. Warren?" His eyes shone curiously.

Miranda frowned. "Uh, w-what do you mean?"

"Joey said Dr. Warren likes you. Do you like him?"

She paused. He likes her? From all the flirting, she noticed that, but really? Does he truly like her?

"Yeah, he's nice. He just gets on my nerves, that's all," she said, after a while.

"Hmm, okay."

Miranda let out a sigh, as he got quiet and started to fall asleep. She turned her key in the ignition, and drove home.