This is a series of one shots based on Pixelberry's Open Heart, featuring Dr. Ethan Ramsey and Dr. Cassie Valentine. The stories follow canon to a certain extent but diverge after book 1. In this AU, there is no trip to the Amazon and no need for a...
Summary: Harsh words from a patient has Cassie questioning her abilities as adoctor. Set during Book 1, Chapter 7.
The night sky was bright from the city lights haloing above high-rise and low-rise structures—a mix of old and new and everything in between—casting long shadows on the dark waters of the Charles River.
Rather than her usual route around the Commons, Cassie Valentine ran the four-mile track along the riverfront. The soles of her running shoes hardly made a sound as they slapped against the ground, music blasting in her ears, legs pumping and lungs burning from the punishing speed she set.
Boston wasn't New York, but there were pockets of the city where late night hustle and bustle could be found if one knew where to look for it. And that's what she wanted tonight. To escape; find an open space yet busy where she could lose herself for a while and forget the last few hours.
"How can I get out there and just surf with this hanging over me? How can I do anything normally? You've ruined my life!"
No matter how fast she ran she couldn't shake off Remy's harsh words. Or forget the angry look on his face as he blasted her for running a genetic test that he hadn't wanted in the first place. She could have let him live in blissful ignorance. Enjoy the time he had left in peace. Instead, she'd shattered the illusion of normalcy.
What made her think that she knew what was best for a stranger, she thought to herself. Her M.D. was barely six months old, and she hadn't been a doctor quite as long. Just because her medical hero thought she was developing the kind of observational skills he valued didn't mean anything in the real world with real patients.
"The art of observation...of reading people...it's critical to our work as diagnosticians. You've already begun to understand that."
Well, Dr. Ramsey had been wrong. She understood nothing. She was an imposter who was playing doctor. Remy had seen right through her and soon everyone would as well.
The rational part of her knew she had the potential to be a good doctor, but the emotional fallout from today was blinding her to what was and what could be.
No matter how hard she pushed herself, the run wasn't having the desired effect as her thoughts continued to spiral out of control. Running was her salvation, where she could find clarity. But not today.
Knowing it was pointless—and dangerous—to keep pushing her body like this, Cassie checked behind her for other runners and slowed down when she realized she'd left them all miles back.
She stepped off the path and quickly bent over, taking shallow breaths to bring her heartrate down to a more reasonable pace. When that didn't help, she sipped water and took three deep breaths, forcing herself to dampen the adrenaline of her mad dash.
Placing one foot on the bench, she stretched aching muscles and massaged her quads and hamstrings, first one leg and then the other. She used the simple exercises to center her mind but knew it for a delaying tactic.
There was only one person who could make her see clearly when she was this conflicted and thinking so she unlocked her phone.
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