Rhekker | We are one with you (Rhekker story)

I won't leave you alone

As soon as Ava heard that Connor was being targeted by a criminal, she didn't hesitate to rush to the operating room. The only thing she knew was that Connor needed to pull out the bullet that, according to the initial analysis, had grazed the heart. And the man brandishing the gun certainly wasn't thinking about the fatal outcome of his injured partner.

Pushing open the operating room doors, she found herself at gunpoint without flinching.

"Get out of here!" the man barked harshly, not letting Connor out of his sight.

"Ava, get out!" Connor shouted almost simultaneously, still only holding the patient's wound.

"I'll perform the operation" Ava said firmly, not flinching, no doubt not intending to leave the operating room, leaving Connor in such a dangerous position.

"She won't do anything!" Connor exclaimed, glaring at the reckless woman.

"I'm the best heart surgeon, and he's not, so it's up to you" Ava said smugly, crossing her arms over her chest, looking boldly into the eyes of the armed man, showing no fear, still standing at gunpoint.

"You" the man said, waving the gun at Connor "Get out of here, you" he nodded to Ava "Take care of my friend, now".

"I need an assistant" she said confidently, putting on her gloves and taking the scalpel in her hand. "And the longer you argue with me, the less likely he is to survive".

"Bitch" the man swore, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shifted the gun from one doctor to the other. "Do what you need to do".

"What are you doing?" Connor hissed under his breath as Ava made the incision, carefully parting the edges of the wound with her fingers. "Why are you here?"

"Doing my job" Ava said, holding out her hand. "Tweezer, I found a bullet, I need to sew up a large vessel".

Exhaling, Connor handed over the right instrument and sucked away a large amount of blood, feeling for the torn vessel, sewing it up while Ava checked how high the threat to the heart itself was.

"It's all right" Ava said with relief, finding nothing dangerous, taking over the final stitching of the incision itself, noticing Rhodes' trembling hands.

As soon as Connor looked up at the man still standing alert, he saw the police outside the glass window of the operating room, who nodded at him and then shoot at the gunman.

In the short space of time between the nod and the shooting, Connor grabbed Ava, pushing her sideways, landing on the floor, covering her with his body. The sound of falling shards pulsed clearly in Ava's head as she squeezed her eyes shut, feeling Connor's protection on her. What had happened a minute earlier was a risky madness that Connor would have handled without a second thought, but only if he had been without Ava. 

"Are you all right?" one of the policemen said. Connor just nodded as he rose, holding Ava gently by the shoulders as he helped her up from the floor.

The gunman was dead, but his hand still held the gun firmly. Connor could barely shake off the haunting, frightening thoughts of what might have happened if the madman had shot. He would have shot Ava instead of him.

Taking Ava by the elbow, Connor left the bloody scene on wobbly legs, handing Over the operated accomplice to the other medics. When Connor entered the resident's office, he remained silent, not even glaring at her.

"Connor?" Ava called uncertainly, her hands trembling as she pushed stray strands of hair behind her ears, only now realizing how scared she was for the man.

Turning slowly away from Ava and toward the metal lockers for their clothes, Connor slammed his fist into Them. Startled, Bekker winced, pursing her lips as she stared at his back, knowing full well that she'd done something crazy. But she would have done the same thing in the future, without thinking about the consequences. 

"Ava, do you realize the risk you took? Why did you do that?" Connor asked softly, seeing how his outburst of emotion had startled her. Immediately relenting, he came to her, gently wrapping her in his arms, soothingly running his hand down her back.

"You were there" Ava said hesitantly, her fingers gripping his robe tightly, remembering the moment she'd learned that her fiance was being held hostage. The unpleasant memory brought tears to her eyes.

"Avey" Connor breathed as she began to cry, letting her emotions run wild. "Baby, it's okay, look at me, Avey".

Obediently raising her reddened eyes, Ava encountered such a familiar and loving look from a man that only this made her feel warm. All the bad things really evaporated. Wiping away the last tear with his thumb, Connor kissed Ava warmly, seeing through her fragility. It was impossible to be angry with her.

"You should have known how scared I was when you ran into the operating room" Connor muttered softly, his eyes still on his beautiful angel.

"I know" Ava said in a low voice, lowering her head to Connor's chest and still standing there, her body pressed against his.

"My brave girl" Connor said softly, leaving a weightless kiss on her hair, holding her in his arms, knowing for both of them how much they needed close contact to come to their senses.