Open Heart One Shots (Choices)

Que Sera Sera (AU)

Summary: When Ethan and Cassie agree not to have any children, little do they realize life has other plans for them.

TW: Deals with mature themes, issues of infertility and complicated pregnancies

Cassie Valentine would always remember this day as one that forever changed the path of her life. Even more so than the one that had led her to defy her family's expectations and land a coveted internal medicine residency at Boston's Edenbrook Hospital.

To follow in the footsteps of her medical idol, the Doctor Ethan Ramsey; learn from him, fall in love with him, and eventually marry her forevermore.

Their relationship had had its ups and downs. Angst, drama, romance, humor ─ sometimes it felt like a kaleidoscope of emotions barraging them from all sides. And the fact that they had not only survived the blitz but came out of it stronger was a testament of their love for each other.

Still after four years together followed by two years of wedded bliss, it had been time for a sea change. To extend their family from two to three and hopefully more in the future.

But today was not that day. Nor would it ever be that day, as Cassie and Ethan discovered following an appointment with her OBGYN.

Previously undetected uterine fibroids, they were told, leading to infertility. Not only could she not get pregnant, but if she were part of a small percentage of women that defied expectations, there were too many complications that could impact her health and that of the baby to take the risk.

Pregnancy was off the table, but the couple had other options if they did indeed want children.

Cassie remembered holding Ethan's hand as they heard the diagnosis, of seeing her unspoken dreams of a family drift away without ever being more than a whisper in the wind.

She recalled the way they had left the doctor's office and gotten in the car to drive back home; the dazed look in their eyes as they took the elevator up to their apartment.

And she recollected that Ethan had never wanted children in the first place. Expecting to see relief on his face as they sat across from each other on the couch, she was shocked to see grief and resignation.

She reached for the hand in his lap and laced her fingers through his. Together, they sat in the silence, taking comfort from each other's presence as they began to plan for a different kind of life.

Several weeks later, having discussed their options, both Cassie and Ethan came to a mutual decision that if they couldn't have children of their own, then they would not consider adoption or other avenues that might be available to them.

From now on, it would be just the two of them, forever.

Three years later...

When the strip on the home pregnancy test turned blue, Cassie knew she was in big trouble. Not only that but she had defied expectations once again. This time though the consequences were bigger and potentially life threatening.

No one could ever accuse Cassie Valentine of taking the easy road.

The question now was, how on earth was she going to tell Ethan the news? They had agreed to forgo children when fate and medical science decreed it so.

They had a good and fulfilling life together. They had their careers and each other. That was enough. That had been enough all these years.

Now it was a colossal mess.

She was still trying to process the last fifteen minutes when there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Cassie, are you alright in there?"