Getting back to "Normal" | Rhekker

Chapter 32- Space

Ava's eyes flutter open as she tries to force them shut again, tightening the duvet around herself. She reluctantly opened her eyes and found Connor waking up next to her.
"Morin" he stretched out and looked down to her.
Ava whimpered and curled herself in to a tighter ball, "morning"
"Too early"
Connor sat up in bed and touched her shoulder, "I'll get breakfast started" he brushed his fingers up her shoulder. Ava missed the added warmth as he left the bed, eventually finding her way into the shower.

Ava dried herself off in her room and put on her make up, running a hand through her hair. She wandered into the kitchen where a freshly showered Connor stood making breakfast.
"I made you a coffee, figured you'd need it" he pushed the cup towards her.
"Thanks, you're a life saver. Literally" she took the cup willingly, bringing it to her lips.
Connor parted his lips and for a horrifying moment Ava thought he was going to bring up last night.
"What do you want for dinner?"
"What, oh. I'll cook, there's fish in the fridge" she nodded.
"I won't stop you" he handed her a plate of toast, eggs and sausages.
"Thank you" she took a seat to eat her breakfast.

The pair left for work shortly after, with Connor driving, laughing along to something funny they had heard. There was a radio quiz on talking all about koalas and there habits.
"That's so you" Connor smiled.
"Sleeping in a ball"
"It is not"
"What do you mean, you sleep exactly like that" Connor laughed.
"I do not" Ava defended.
"Yes, you sleep in a little ball. You didn't used too" Connor thought back to when they were dating, in fairness back then Ava had usually slept with half her body on Connors back.
"I only do that in freezing Chicago winters that you every much"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah" they parked up and got their bags.
"See you later" she called over her shoulder as she made her way up to CT.

*

Ava was finishing scrubbing in for her surgery when the door swung open next to her.
"Dr. Lathem , I was worried you wouldn't be joining us" Ava smiled as he approached the sink.
"Ah we you know I'd never miss the chance you see you operating Dr. Bekker" Connor smiled to her.
"Connor?" She said in surprise, smiling none the less.
"Lathem had a patient emergency, so I got called in"
"Ah, well I'd never miss an opportunity to boss you around" Ava took her hands from sink.
"Don't I know it" Connor rolled his eyes and Ava went into the OR, Connor following shortly behind.

"Scalpel to me" Ava called as she made another incsion. Connor was on suction and cleaned up the area.
"You know Dr. Bekker we were playing hide and seek with some of the med students in the ED, but we kept finding them in the I-C-U" Connor said causally.
Ava looked up to him with a deadpan in her eyes, "that was a terrible joke"
"I thought it was pretty good" Marty commented.
"You know, Dr. Bekker, that's why doctors are so calm, we have a lot of patients" he added.
Ava grinned slightly, making sure Connor couldn't see it behind her mask.
"That's enough you two" Ava shook her head.
Everything was silent for a moment until Connor spoke again.
"What do you call a koala with no teeth?"
Ava looked up and met his eye, giving him a warning glance.
"A gummy bear" he smiled confidently behind his mask.
Ava let out a quite chuck and Connor felt a wave of triumph wash over him, hearing Bekker laugh. He could tell that she was smiling slightly under her mask.
Ava scrubbed out with Connor and fixed her hair.
"I'll see you later tonight" he told her, preparing to go back to the ED.
"Bye" she smiled, stopping at one of the desks to write some notes about the surgery.
"Okey, goodbye Koala" he winked, walking away. Ava rolled her eyes and got back to work,

"Dr. Bekker" a voice came from behind her shoulder and she finished her notes.
"Yes, Dr. Chalres?"
"I was just wondering how you were doing?" He asked.
"I'm fine thank you, we have a session booked for Saturday, you know?"
"Yes, yes I recall. I just wanted to check in" he tapped his fingers on the desk.
"Was their something else Daniel?"
"I just couldn't help but notice that the shipping address on your medications" he said softly.
Ava paused and looked up, finding his eye.
"Are you sure this is a wise decision, Ava, living with him?"
"Daniel, I'm my own women I can make my own decisions" she snapped, Dropped her pencil. Ava stalked off down the hall, wrapping her lab coat tighter around herself.
She hurried down the stairs and out to the coffee cart to get a drink. On her way back in Ava caught Connor eye across the square, him heading her way to get a coffee. Ava glanced away and pretended like she didn't see him, going in the visitors entrance instead.

Ava avoided Connor all day, dogging him by avoiding the ED or sending a med student down there. When her shift was over Ava neveroulsy walked though the ED, being aware that Dr. Chalres eyes were on her.
"Hey" she exhaled, coming up to Connor by the door.
"Hey, I haven't seen you all day. I'm as about to ring you, I thought you were going for a double shift" he laughed.
"Oh no, just got delayed...." she said as they walked outside.
"....Trying to avoid Daniel"
Connor drove them home and Ava was noticeably quieter in the car. When they got home Ava cooked for them, with Connor thankfully having a shower and giving her some time to think. They had dinner together and Ava tried to act normal as Daniels works ate away at her. Was this a wise decision? I mean they were only living together....

They went their separate ways and Connor got into bed pulling the cover back on the other side, waiting for Ava. He read the latest news from around the world before hearing the water turn off in the bathroom. Ava walked out and scurried past his door without looking in, closing her door behind her. Connor furrowed his brows, confused about her behaviour. Had he done something wrong, made her uncomfortable?
Connor rolled over and turned off his light, leaving the other side of the duvet up should she change her mind.
Ava shivered under her duvet, curled up in a ball, missing the warmth she had the past few nights. She pulling the covers over her head, trying to suffocate her loneliness and retain some heat. Ava barely slept that night, she hated this but it had to be done.

Connor woke and rolled over to look at Ava's sleepy face, only to find her side of the bed not slept in. Connor frowned, kicking the blanket off his legs he cross the hall to her door, pushing it open gently. Ava had her head under the covers, her wrist sticking out onto her pillow. Connor listen carefully to her soft breathing before leaving for his bathroom. When he stepped out he could hear the water running in the main bathroom. Connor went to the kitchen and started on breakfast.

Ava wandered in a few mintiest later, running a hand through her loose curls. He smiled at her, nodding to her coffee on the counter next to him. Ava came up and took it, taking her first sip of the day. Connor held his tough between his teeth and exhaled.
"You didn't come to bed last night"
Ava pursed her lips and put her coffee down.
"Look Ava if I did something I'm-"
"Daniel knows" she said quickly.
"What?" Connors face fell.
"Daniel knows about us"
"....dose he know about" Connor nodded his head to the bedrooms, "that"
"What, no! He knows we live together, I've been getting my prescriptions sent here and he recognised the address I had listed" she sighed.

"We shouldn't have been doing it anyway"
"Did he tell you that?" Connor asked, taking a sip from his own cup.
"No, but it wasn't normal, for us to be doing that" she wrapped her arms around herself, feeling guilty.
"Nothing about our day to day is very normal, we're surgeons" he laughed lightly before seeing the look on Ava's face.
"Were you happy?" He asked, "being in bed like that"
"Yes" Ava breathed quietly to her cup.
"I think it would be best though if we went back to our separate beds" she never took her eyes away from her drink.
"Of course, if that's what you're comfortable with" Connor touched her arm lightly and Ava picked her her up to look to his eyes. She nodded quickly, not saying another word for fear of her words betraying her.
"Okey" Connor said shortly with a nod, pursing his lips he went to get his jacket for the day.

The drive to med was awkward, it was like a second breakup. Ava anxiously moved her foot, afraid that they'd forever ruined their relationship, by blurring the lines of friendly and romantic.