unexpected love (Leah Williamson)

A Heartfelt Surprise

Ella had been in surgery for hours, the kind of marathon operation that left her shoulders aching and her mind drained. The procedure had been complex and tense, testing every ounce of her skill and focus. As she finally scrubbed out and made her way through the maze of the hospital corridors, she felt the familiar fog of exhaustion settling in. This was the part of her job no one ever really saw—the long hours, the pressure, the emotional weight of being responsible for someone's life.

When she entered the break room, hoping for just a few minutes of quiet, her thoughts were interrupted by a sight that made her heart skip a beat. Leah was there, leaning against the counter with a soft smile, holding a paper bag and two coffee cups.

"Hey, stranger," Leah said gently, her eyes scanning Ella's tired face with care and warmth. "Figured you could use some backup today."

Ella's mouth opened in surprise, a grateful smile spreading across her face. "Leah! What are you doing here?"

Leah shrugged, her smile widening as she stepped forward. "Just wanted to see you, so I checked in with the nurses to make sure I didn't interrupt. They said you'd be out of surgery soon, so I thought I'd bring reinforcements."

Ella's heart fluttered as Leah handed her one of the coffees, the familiar, comforting scent filling her senses. Leah pulled a few things out of the bag—sandwiches, a chocolate croissant, and a few of Ella's favorite snacks.

"You didn't have to do this," Ella murmured, touched beyond words.

"I know," Leah replied softly, brushing a strand of hair out of Ella's face. "But I wanted to. I know these surgeries can be tough, and I wanted to remind you that you don't have to go through the hard days alone."

They settled at one of the small tables in the break room, and Leah kept the conversation light, letting Ella unwind at her own pace. Ella could feel the stress from the surgery slowly lifting as they talked, Leah's presence grounding her in a way that always seemed to make everything feel more manageable.

As they finished their food, Leah reached across the table, her hand gently covering Ella's. "I've got the whole day cleared. How about, when you're done here, we do something together? You choose."

Ella looked down at their hands, a smile tugging at her lips as she intertwined her fingers with Leah's. "Honestly, just being with you right now is more than enough."

Leah chuckled, giving her hand a squeeze. "Then I'll stay right here until you're ready to go. Take your time, Ella. I'm not going anywhere."

For the rest of her shift, Ella worked with a little more energy, a renewed lightness in her step. Knowing Leah was there, waiting for her, made all the difference. It reminded her that, no matter how hard her days could be, she had someone who understood, who was there for her in all the ways that truly mattered.

A bit of a shorter one since I have a shitload of work to do for school but ill try to write another part tonight XX