HEART BEAT

CHAPTER FOUR

---

**Chapter 4**

The decision to take the leap had been made, but the reality of what that meant began to settle in as Kira and Alex left the quiet sanctuary of the resident lounge. The weight of their unspoken fears hung in the air, even as they tried to push past it, moving forward into an uncertain future together.

As they walked down the corridor, Kira's hand still tingled from where Alex had held it. His words, filled with a confidence that she had always admired, echoed in her mind. *We're strong enough to handle it.* She wanted to believe that-she *needed* to believe that. But as they moved back into the bustling world of the hospital, with its constant demands and relentless pace, she couldn't shake the nagging doubt that maybe they were in over their heads.

By the time they reached the elevator, the silence between them had stretched thin, a fragile thread that could snap at any moment. Alex glanced at her, his expression unreadable, before pressing the button to call the elevator. As they waited, Kira found herself searching for something to say, something to bridge the gap that had suddenly opened between them. But everything that came to mind felt trivial, inadequate in the face of the monumental shift that had just occurred in their relationship.

The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, and they stepped inside, the small space amplifying the tension between them. Kira could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the reality of what they were about to embark on pressing down on her like a physical weight.

Alex was the first to break the silence. "So, what now?"

It was a simple question, but it carried with it the weight of a thousand possibilities. Kira looked up at him, her mind racing as she tried to formulate an answer. What *did* come next? They had agreed to give this a try, but how did they move forward from here? How did they navigate the uncharted waters of a new relationship while maintaining their friendship and their professional lives?

"I... I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I guess we just... see how it goes?"

Alex nodded, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes that mirrored her own. "Yeah. I guess we do."

The elevator doors slid open on the ground floor, and they stepped out into the bustling lobby. The sounds of the hospital-phones ringing, the murmur of voices, the distant beeping of monitors-washed over them, a stark reminder that life went on, even in the midst of their personal turmoil.

Kira hesitated, unsure of what to do next. They had both just finished their shifts, and the idea of going home alone, with only her thoughts for company, was suddenly unbearable. But she also wasn't sure if she was ready to spend more time with Alex, not when everything between them felt so new and fragile.

"Do you... want to grab a coffee or something?" Alex asked, his tone casual, but Kira could hear the underlying tension.

She hesitated, torn between the desire to keep the momentum going and the need to take a step back and process everything. But the thought of being alone, of letting the doubts fester, was enough to push her decision.

"Yeah," she said, offering a small smile. "That sounds good."

They walked to the small café across the street from the hospital, a place they had visited countless times before during their breaks. But this time, the familiarity of the setting did little to ease the awkwardness that had settled between them.

As they sat down with their drinks, Kira found herself at a loss for words. This was supposed to be the easy part-the part where they relaxed, got to know each other in this new context. But instead, the tension only seemed to grow, the silence between them thick and uncomfortable.