The Way I Loved You (Rhekker- Chicago Med)

The Very First Night

"I miss you like it was the very first night"

Ava jabbed the button for the elevator once more. The doors still didn't open. Of course, delays were to be expected at this time. Everyone wanted to leave the hospital, and go home to their families. Ava didn't blame them for that. She, too, wanted to go home. It had been a long day, longer than most, and she was mostly looking forward to a good few hours of sleep before she had to be back in the hospital to do it all over again. She pressed the button again, willing it to have some effect on the speed of the elevator. She just wanted to go home.

"Careful," a voice came from behind her. It was a voice that she knew well. "You'll jam the elevator." Connor appeared from behind, a subtle smile on his face. "Why are you in such a hurry, anyway?" he asked, his deep brown eyes fixed on Ava. "I've never seen you so eager to leave."

Ava smiled. "I guess even the most experienced of us need to rest sometimes," she said, pointing at herself jokingly. Connor nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting into a small smile. He understood her jokes, and that was what she liked about him. He got her, in a way that no one else in this hospital did. "What about you?" she asked him, changing the focus. "You're probably booked all night, knowing you." Ava raised an eyebrow, grinning at him. "Go on, who's the lucky woman this time?"

"Actually, that's where you're wrong." Connor's eyes were still fixed on her face. "I was just planning to go home, get some rest, hope that I can keep my eyes open for that aortic dissection tomorrow." Ava nodded, agreeing. It was an important surgery for both of them. Neither one of them could afford to mess it up.

"Good idea," Ava said, approvingly. It looked like they had the exact same plan. Just at that moment, the elevator arrived, and the doors slowly opened. "You coming?" she asked Connor, stepping into the elevator. 

"After you." Connor stepped into the elevator, standing close to Ava. As he got close, he could smell jasmine. It was strong, but not overpowering. It must have been a new perfume. How had he not noticed that before?  "Hey, Ava? I wanted to congratulate you on that quick thinking in the OR today. You were great in there." He said it with sincerity, smiling warmly at her.

Ava smiled, warmly. A compliment from the proud Dr Rhodes was rare. "You helped, too," she added, out of modesty. She couldn't let on how one small comment could provoke a stirring in her chest, in her heart. "You were great in there, too. If it wasn't for you, we would never have caught that heart condition in the first place." Her cheeks flushed, an uncommon occurrence. "Good call," she quickly finished talking, hoping that Connor hadn't noticed her sudden change.

"It was all you." Connor watched her with curiosity. Did she always wear her hair like that, tucked firmly behind the ears with just a few loose strands hanging out? The elevator doors opened suddenly, cutting off whatever he was about to say. That was probably for the best, anyway. Ava was already starting to walk off ahead, clearly eager to get home. If he was going to say something, it would have to be now.

"Hey." Ava turned around to see Connor, still trying to continue the earlier conversation. The last thing that she wanted to do was let him down, but she really did want to get home. Her head would be all over the place for the aortic dissection tomorrow if she didn't get enough rest, and that couldn't happen. Ava could never allow herself to slip like that. "Did you forget something?" she asked him.

"Actually, I could use your advice," Connor said, exhaling. He wasn't sure why this was so complicated. It was just a question. Yet, Connor couldn't help but notice the slight quickening of his heartbeat, the sweat on his palms, the way that he just couldn't take his eyes off her. Ava looked at him expectantly. She was still waiting for him to continue. "I could use your advice," he repeated. "On the aortic dissection tomorrow. I was thinking that I could buy you a drink, and we could talk about it."