Shooting Stars

CHAPTER 56

The on-call room was quiet, save for the sound of heavy breathing as Aria and Alex lay tangled in the sheets. Their skin was still warm, their bodies pressed close, the aftermath of their intimacy hanging in the air. The fluorescent light from the hallway barely illuminated the small space, casting soft shadows around them.

Alex's head rested on the pillow, eyes half-closed, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as he caught his breath. "Damn, Aria," he muttered, still catching his breath. "You're on fire today."

Aria chuckled, rolling her eyes and nudging him gently with her shoulder. "Shh, keep it down," she whispered, trying to hush him, though the smile on her face betrayed her amusement.

Alex raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "What, now you're shy? After all that?"

Aria couldn't help but laugh again, the sound light and carefree. For a moment, it was just the two of them—no hospital, no pressure, no expectations—just this space they had carved out in the middle of chaos.

But as the laughter died down, a silence settled between them. Alex shifted, his tone turning more serious. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked softly, his eyes searching her face, a hint of concern in his voice.

The question caught Aria off guard, her body tensing slightly. She didn't want to get into it, didn't want to bring up the weight of everything she was carrying. So, she brushed it off quickly, offering him a forced smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said, her voice casual, though there was a flicker of something in her eyes that she couldn't hide.

Before Alex could probe further, the shrill sound of the pager broke the moment, and Aria sighed, sitting up. "I've got to go. Robbins needs me," she said, her tone shifting back to professional. She quickly pulled on her scrubs, moving with practiced efficiency.

Alex watched her, his expression softening, but he didn't push. He knew better than to ask too many questions when she was like this.

As Aria stood by the door, she turned back to him, her eyes meeting his with a softness that wasn't there a moment ago. Without a word, she crossed the space and pressed a long, lingering kiss against his lips, her hands brushing against his cheek. It was brief, but it carried with it a promise, a connection that was as much physical as it was emotional.

"I'll see you later," she murmured against his lips, her voice low and quiet. And with that, she was gone, slipping out the door and leaving Alex behind in the silence of the room.

Alex was sitting at the nurses' station, finishing up some charts. His focus shifted as Lucy Fields approached, a stack of paperwork in her hands.

"Forgery? Why am I not surprised?" Lucy said with a smirk, noticing Alex's charts.

Alex didn't look up, too focused on his work. "Whatever. I just want to get out of here so I can get to this game tonight."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you have tickets?"

"Yeah," Alex replied, his tone lightening up. "Tonight? It's the PAC-10 title game. Win this and the Huskies get an automatic bid to March Madness." He leaned back in his chair, a little grin on his face. "Why do you think I'm powering through all these stupid charts?"

Lucy was quick to grab a pen and glance at Alex. "What are you doing?" He asked playfully.

Lucy chuckled, shaking her head. "Of my ten patients in labor right now, none of them are past three centimeters, which means I have some time to kill, and you can't miss this game."

Lucy laughed as she handed him the pen. "Hand me a pen, then."

Alex raised an eyebrow, looking at her with mock surprise. "I thought you thought I was a loser."