Open Heart One Shots (Choices)

So Over It

Summary: Cassie meets Ethan's plus one and makes a long overdue decision. 

Cassie Valentine enjoyed her morning coffee, inhaling the life-affirming scent while seated on the stuffed chair beside her bedroom window. The world outside was snowy white and cold; inside, it was colorful and warm.

She wasn't due at work for another few hours and was enjoying the quiet time. She had learned in the last six months that the hospital could take over your life. And it was important to create balance when she could. Today was one of those moments.

She glanced down at her phone when it pinged, a smile spreading when she saw who it was.

A few days later...

Cassie leaned her elbows on the nurses' station and took the weight off her feet. She bit back a yawn, exchanging a commiserating look with the tired-looking nurse on the other side. She picked up the iPad and reviewed the lab results for her next patient, sighing in relief that there wasn't anything to worry about.

There were still twenty minutes until midnight and the beginning of a new year. Elsewhere in the hospital, there might be signs of celebration. Here in the ICU, the mood was quiet and somewhat somber, keeping with the types of patients and severe cases the unit managed.

She absently glanced around, wondering if there was time to grab a coffee from the residents' lounge, when her eyes fell on a woman sitting on a chair in the hallway. That in itself wasn't unusual since the ICU often had patients' families waiting at odd times. But she was dressed in a beautiful long red gown with windswept light brown hair, a lovely pendant necklace, and matching earrings.

There was something exquisite about her style and, Cassie thought, a classic beauty that likely made heads turn. The woman must have felt her watching because she looked up from her phone and stared right at her.

Abashed at getting caught, Cassie half waved, smiled and slowly walked over.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare," Cassie said by way of greeting. "I love your dress and couldn't help admiring it."

The woman smiled graciously. "Thank you. I had very different plans when I put it on earlier tonight."

"You wear it well. Are you visiting a relative?" Cassie asked, curiosity taking over.

"Ah, no. My date is a doctor, and he was paged for a patient consult," she explained. "We were at a New Year's Eve party, a fairly swanky affair."

"Oh, what rotten luck," said Cassie sympathetically. "And now you'll miss the countdown."

"I suppose." The woman nodded before throwing Cassie a laughing look. "Between you and me, I think my date was relieved to get the page. He's not into social events. I'm Dana, by the way."

"Cassie. Hopefully, you'll get a chance to salvage what's left of your night," she said.

Dana winked. "Oh, I intend to. The way he looks in a tux?" She fanned herself dramatically.

Cassie grinned, enjoying the unexpected girl talk.

"Valentine."

Cassie stilled at the deep voice calling her name. She glanced over her shoulder to see Dr. Ramsey walking toward them. Her heart skipped a beat at seeing him wearing a dark wool coat over a tuxedo that looked like it was made for him. The tailored lines accentuated his physique, and she got a sinking feeling in her gut as she connected the dots.

"Dr. Ramsey," she said formally, trying very hard to hide how much the sight of him affected her.

"There you are. All done?" Dana inquired, coming to stand beside Ethan.

"Yes," Ethan nodded. "Just give me a few minutes to confer with Dr. Valentine, and we can head out."

Cassie kept a smile on her face as she exchanged goodbyes with Dana. All the while, her heart was breaking inside at the thought of Ethan dating someone else. And more, if what she inferred from Dana's comments was accurate.

She followed Ethan to the nurses' station, where he gave her instructions about the patient he'd been paged about. She listened absently while a thousand different thoughts crowded her brain.

"Is that clear?" She tuned back in to see Ethan watching her warily, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Yes, Dr. Ramsey," she said. "I'll monitor the vitals and page you only if the numbers fluctuate beyond the normal range three consecutive times."

"So, you were listening," he commented.

She made a face but didn't rise to the taunt. Cassie started to turn away when he put a hand to stop her. He quickly glanced around, making sure no one was close enough to listen.

"Can you check in on Naveen?" he said quietly. "I had hoped to drop in, but with Dana...." He shrugged.

"I understand, Dr. Ramsey," Cassie said, her voice whisper soft. "I'm due for a break in thirty and will head down then."

"Thank you, Cassie," he said gratefully, clearing his throat and stepping back. "Goodnight then."

She nodded, unable to get the words out past the lump in her throat. Her imagination was running wild, thinking of how Dana and Ethan would spend the rest of the night together.

Cassie watched Ethan help Dana with her coat, the other woman looped her arm through his, smiling up at him, and then they walked out the double doors together. She thought Ethan looked over his shoulder at her for a second before the door closed behind him.

But maybe that was wishful thinking. And perhaps she was deluding herself to think there could ever be anything between them. Ethan had been clear about his feelings that time when they tested the fMRI machine.

"Any intimate feelings are just neurochemical responses to heightened stress and frequent exposure to each other."

Whatever she felt, what she thought she had seen in his eyes last week, it was an illusion. Nothing more than a crush on her medical hero.

And it was time to grow up and get over it.