REAL, michael j. fox

Chapter 9: Sincerity is Scary

Song Selection: The Only Exception by Paramore

6 months ago...

I sat in my office alone, busting myself with paperwork for a few moments longer. "Dr. Hall." I tilted my head up, the sound of someone actually speaking to me shaking me out of my drowsiness. "Sorry I don't mean to intrude, just wanted to tell you I'd be happy to finish the rest of the work you have left if you'd like," Dr. Wilson offered, tilting her head obviously to me in concern.

"No it's fine, I can manage those on my own. You get some rest," I told her with a small smile as I looked back down to the files spread out for me.

She frowned slightly and took a seat in front of me for a moment. "Caitlin when was the last time you went home?"

I looked up to the question in surprise, being taken aback by it. "I've been home-"

"You've been sleeping in the on-call room," Dr. Wilson interrupted me to say, raising a brow to me, "You're not just a successful Doctor you know, you're young. I rarely see you outside of the hospital ever it seems."

Nodding to this slightly I put down the papers slowly. "Yes, well, not much to be done at home either."

She sighed deeply to this and instead turned the papers to her, assuring me out. "Go home, Dr. Hall, for me, you're chief of surgery for godsake."

***

Megan laughed wholeheartedly beside me in the backseat of the car, her boyfriend, James, and Michael having their own conversation in the front. "Honestly I'm surprised of you, Cat. You would never be anywhere out here before," She mentioned to me.

Michael turned to this interested, raising a brow to me smugly. "Something change your mind there perhaps?"

I rolled my eyes at Mike unamused. "Eyes forward, soldier." He did so with a small smirk as I looked back over to an amused Megan. "I'm honestly still surprised myself. Much rather would be sleeping right now."

Megan shook her head in disagreement. "Oh no, you'd be doing anything but sleeping when dating a boy like that," She whispered to me, causing for me to blush madly. "Been waiting around for this Caitlin every since the two of us were legal adults. Don't go back now."

I smiled over to her. "Never. Would be too much of a drag for the boys right?"

"Yes, right," The two of them agreed blindly in the front causing for Megan and I to laugh at the thought.

Once we'd arrived at the night club I turned to Mike, already seeing the cameras plastered on the two of us. Megan and James simply turned to the two of us cautiously as Michael tucked me closer to him as we tried to manage our way through. "You'd think the flashes couldn't get any brighter," I muttered over to him as we eased our way closer to the front.

He smiled down to me, kissing the top of my head reassuringly. "Let them have their photos I guess. You're beautiful as always anyways." He leaned down to my neck to whisper to me once we'd managed to get ourselves through the doors.  " 'Course there are some photos our dear paparazzi can't have, right Cat?"

I smacked him with my clutch playfully, causing for him to laugh at this pleasurably from doing so. "We're with other people you know, geez," I muttered over to him, before eyeing him for a moment, "But you do have a point." Megan and James turning to us excitedly from the bar as they carried over the first round of drinks.

"Yeah, well-" Michael stopped, having me turn up to see him smiling down to me in awe for a moment. "I always think you're as angelic as ever and it exhausts me."

I raised a brow to him, interested. "And why is it so exhausting exactly."

He smirked, raising a brow as well as he shrugged his shoulders. "Makes it hard to focus on anything else besides trying to understand how anyone can see you as less than that. It's beyond me." I began to melt at the words, wrapping my arms around him immediately to kiss him. A smile formed throughout this, feeling him hold me tightly in his arms as well to lift me off the floor it seemed.

Not such a new feeling for me. Almost feels unreal whenever we're together; like I've found myself on a cloud.

"Knew the two of you couldn't keep your hands off each other for long now come on! We came here to dance didn't we?" James mentioned, Megan already tugging his hand to follow her while Michael and I stood with one another for a few moments longer.

"In a minute," He responded back.

I looked up to him confused, fixing his tie for a moment. "In a minute what-"

Michael snuck in another kissing, sending me laughing as a result. "That was my minute. I know, always your sly Fox now c'mon."

***

The relief of the heels finally being off came to me once I was back in my apartment, Michael laughing at my behavior in doing so. "If they're a pain, why do you wear them?"

I groaned in annoyance. "They're my only nice pair, all the others are for conferences," I told him, sending the both of us now laughing in amusement.

That or the slight drunkenness we were beginning to feel now.

Unzipping my dress accordingly and putting on my pajamas I turned over to him suddenly, already lying in bed waiting for me with a small smile. "If you're going to look at me change you can go-"

"I love you, Caitlin."

I stopped myself for a moment upon hearing the words come out of his mouth willingly, turning to him in surprise. "Michael-"

"I know sincerity is scary for you and I know all of this is quite new but-" Michael laughed for a moment before turning back up to me with a wide-grin. "It is for me too. Hard to know how to love someone so complex as you, you know; hard to know what comes next." The words still flowed smoothly as I sat myself down beside him for a moment, still in deep thought. He clasped my hands tightly for a moment, his ocean eyes gazing deeply enough for my reflection to be cast upon them.

I was lovestruck. I couldn't resist with what my heart kept incessantly insisting.

I clasped his cheek for a moment before pulling him close to me. "And I love you, Michael. With every ounce of me that it's unbearable,"'I admitted. He looked to me a moment longer before kissing me, holding me closely as the night continued on.