Premise:For these new interns, caffeine is the only way to survive a long shift.
Book:Open Heart Characters:Cassie Valentine, OH Gang Rating/Category:General. Fluff. Format:Text fic
A/N: I follow a Residency subreddit and there was a post about how much caffeine residents drink. And it got me thinking about the OH gang. This is set early in intern year / Book 1.
The timeline is after Max & Sienna get together but are not married yet.
Sienna:
Sienna has had two main exes, Aaron in high school and then Wayne. I’ve covered this in detail in my profile for Sienna.
While she dated other people during high school and before Wayne in college, she wasn’t serious about anyone.
She had a crush on the nurse Danny for the longest time, but they never came together as a couple. I still included him because his death affected her more than she realized.
She never wanted to marry any of her exes and couldn’t imagine it so now either.
Max:
I’ve talked about Max’s past relationships in my OC profile.
Max has been a serial dater for a long time, mostly first and second dates when time allowed. I’ve only included exes where he had more than 3 dates. None of them were serious and he has stayed friendly with the women.
Sophie was his high school girlfriend and they reconnected as adults when they ran into each other in Fiji. She was half in love with him, but never fully said the words.
They were in an on-again, off-again Friends With Benefits arrangement for several years. Max called it off when it started to feel empty.
Eva was his college girlfriend and it was a very passionate relationship with lots of drama but very little friendship. I covered it in this follower ask.
Happy to answer any questions about Maxenna and their past relationships.
I had this idea of showing Ethan Ramsey with his twin daughters when they’re all grown up. This is as close as I could get for now. Learn more about the girls here.
A/N: Remember all the times I’ve talked about a College AU based on a question I answered in the Newly Wed Game? Well, I finally started writing it. I have 3 parts in mind for now, but might do an epilogue. We’ll see how it works out.
Cassie Valentine had a good feeling about this year. Freshman year of college hadn’t gone exactly according to plan, but that was okay.
Everyone told her college was supposed to be a learning experience. Well, she had learnt that living in a dorm was not for her and neither was dating casually or having one-night stands.
It’s not that she was opposed to dating, but sometimes the ritual was more exhausting than exhilarating. She had to accept the fact that she was one of those girls that was meant to be in a meaningful relationship.
Besides, Valentines were romantics, never settling until they met their soulmate. Then, they were mated for life and that was that.
“Hey, don’t wander off too far,” she heard her twin brother Max say as they entered the college bookstore. “I’m on the three to nine today, so will only have time to drop you off before heading into work.”
She nodded as they went their separate ways, course list in hand. Her class load as a sophomore was going to be busy enough on top of her new principal dancer role in the college ballet company. But it was nothing to compared to Max who was determined to prove that one could study and work fulltime at the same time.
There must be something to waking up at the crack of dawn, she thought with a shudder. Not that she had any direct experience as she loved sleeping in. There was nothing quite like it and no one could ever convince her otherwise.
Lost in thought, she reached for a copy of the comparative literature textbook only to pause when someone’s hand half closed over hers, electricity sparking where skin met skin. Startled, she glanced sideways and then up to see another student watching her intently, both of them keeping their hands locked on the book.
He was tall, easily six feet two she guessed, with dark brown hair that was slightly messy as if he’d run his fingers through it in frustration. The light stubble on his jaw highlighted his full lips currently twisted in a smirk that made him far too appealing by her measure. But it was his laser blue eyes that made her heart skip a beat. She could lose herself in them.
“Excuse me,” his deep voice rumbled, hand tightening around the book.
Cassie shook herself to clear the fog in her head. She regarded him and then the book on the shelf they had both tried to grab. It was the last copy. Apparently, the professor’s reputation for easy grading had resulted in high enrollment.
“I was here first,” she said, arching one eyebrow, not letting him see how much he affected her.
“That’s debatable,” he argued. “Anyone can clearly see from the position of our hands that I reached for it first.”
Cassie scoffed at that. “Look again, Sherlock. Your hand is above mine, ergo, the book is mine.”
His thick brows snapped together in annoyance when she refused to back down.
She tried to pull the book off the shelf, only to have him tug it too. They were standing in the narrow aisle caught in a tug of war, Cassie standing on her toes to get in his face, green eyes narrowed, when Max walked over and plucked the book out of their hands.
“Hey!” they both turned, standing side by side, arms akimbo and temporarily united in their displeasure.
“The two of you are making a scene,” said Max, nodding over their shoulders to point at the students gathered at the other end of the aisle watching them and whispering.
“He’s trying to steal my book!” grumbled Cassie, folding her arms defiantly across her chest.
“I’m not stealing anything,” the other student said exasperated. “You just cannot accept that I got to it first. Maybe if you weren’t daydreaming, you’d have noticed.”
Cassie opened her mouth to protest but shut it when Max raised his hand for silence.
“Let me get this straight,” he began scanning the textbook cover “you’re both taking comparative literature this semester and there is only copy left. You both think you reached for it first and now you’re standing in the aisle arguing about it.”
“I don’t think I reached for it first, I know…” said the student recalcitrant, quieting down as if realizing how petulant he sounded.
“Look…” paused Max, looking at the other man in question.
“Ethan,” he said, shoving his hands into the pocket of his jacket.
“Look, Ethan, why don’t you and my sister just share the book until the bookstore gets more copies?” said Max reasonably. “You’re both in the same class, so it’s not like you won’t be stuck together for the next few months. Cassie?”
Cassie rolled her eyes at Max’s conciliatory tone. If there was one thing that he excelled at it was finding a compromise. She wasn’t in the mood for it, but she knew from the expression on his face that she didn’t have much of a choice.
“Fine,” she said ungraciously. “I will if he will.”
“Alright,” said Ethan, unbending enough to bow his head in acknowledgment. “But who pays for it?”
In the end, they split the cost fifty-fifty and exchanged phone numbers to arrange next steps. Ethan walked over with her and Max to the parking lot, his steps hesitant as if unsure of what he was doing.
Cassie watched him out of the corner of her eyes, looking away quickly in case he caught her staring and missing the fact that he was doing the same to her.
As the car drove away, Ethan Ramsey stood in the parking lot watching the headlights disappear. He thought he saw Cassie turn in her seat to look back at him, but maybe that was just wishful thinking.
He didn’t know what he was doing here; they’d already exchanged phone numbers and should have parted ways after completing their purchase at the bookstore. And yet, he found himself engaging in conversation with Max, who appeared to be a more reasonable person than his sister given how successfully he’d negotiated a truce. But it hadn’t been his company Ethan craved.
He’d been standing inside the bookstore entrance scanning his textbook list and had noticed her as soon as she walked in. Her blonde hair falling loose around her shoulders, the sundress she wore hugging her curves and making him salivate. He wasn’t a creepy voyeur and forced himself to look away, walking in the opposite direction and away from temptation.
Later, he couldn’t believe his luck when they’d both clashed over a textbook. Up close, he couldn’t help but notice how her green eyes sparkled or the way her lips pouted in a way that made him want to capture them in a searing kiss. He wondered if she’d felt the spark when their hands connected over the book.
From the first moment, he’d felt…drawn to Cassie Valentine. He couldn’t find another word to describe it.
He shouldn’t be feeling anything for anyone right now. He needed to focus on his studies and keep his grades up for the sake of his scholarship but also because he needed them to get into Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. That was the end goal; he couldn’t afford any distractions.
And she would be a major distraction. He could feel it in his bones.
Premise:Four times Sienna celebrated her birthday, as told through social media.
Book:Open Heart (post series) Pairing: Sienna Trinh x Max Valentine (M!OC) Rating/Category: General. Fluff Format:Edits
A/N: In Lia Land, it’s Sienna’s birthday today. In 2022, she’s working all day and had planned for a quiet night. But then she receives a mysterious text that changes everyhing (Just For Tonight). For the next four years, it’s one amazing day after another.
Series/Pairing: Open Heart - Bryce Lahela x F!OC (Maggie Layne)
Disclaimer: Most characters belong to PB, Maggie is sort of mine
Other Characters: Pamela Henderson
Rating / Warnings: T
Summary: Maggie wants to know why Bryce never talked about his family. He tells her what happened when his last girlfriend’s family found out.
Word count: 777
Comments/Notes: Written for the Luck of the Draw Challenge hosted by @moodmusicmonday. (Sorry it was late.) My assigned song was Never Sorry by Jeremy Renner. It was a challenge for me. I’d never heard the song before. And I never knew Jeremy Renner could sing. I listened to it and I looked up the lyrics. And I saw Ethan, circa book 1, telling MC that he wouldn’t apologize for how he was. So, I decided to write a fic about Bryce instead. This is set right after Maggie meets Keiki in Book 2, Chapter 5. Much thanks and love to @jerzwriter
“I’m glad I got to meet you, Keiki.”
Keiki smiled at Maggie, before smirking at her brother. “Meet me, or find out I exist?”
“Keiks,” Bryce began.
“Both, actually.”
Keiki bade them both good night before she disappeared into Bryce’s room.
This LOTD submission will have you reaching to hug good ol Bryce from OPH! Thank you, @lucy-268 , for sharing this sweet story with us and for participating! And we can’t forget…
THANK YOU for suggesting this entire event! We love you!
Title: What We Wish For… Part 3 Book: Open Heart Pairing: Tobias Carrick x F!MC (Casey MacTavish) Rating: Mature Category: Angst - AU - Mini Series Warnings: Discussion of miscarriage Words: 2730 Summary: Sienna fails to keep Tobias from her friend, but when he and Casey speak, the come to understand each other, but is it too late? A/N: Well, this wraps up this little series that was never intended to be a series. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you! A/N 2: @choicesmonthlychallengejune2022 Day 17 - Forgiveness
Love isn’t always easy. It always starts with two flawed people and, yes, sometimes you have to put in the work. It would have been easy to fall back on the picture in his head of how his life was supposed to be for him or to just think of the hurt for her. But they were both mature enough to see the parts they played, and decide that they wanted to try to make it work because in the end, what mattered most is what they shared. Can’t get more beautiful than that.
Thank you so much for your comments and sharing Cher.
Title: What We Wish For… Part 3 Book: Open Heart Pairing: Tobias Carrick x F!MC (Casey MacTavish) Rating: Mature Category: Angst - AU - Mini Series Warnings: Discussion of miscarriage Words: 2730 Summary: Sienna fails to keep Tobias from her friend, but when he and Casey speak, the come to understand each other, but is it too late? A/N: Well, this wraps up this little series that was never intended to be a series. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you! A/N 2: @choicesmonthlychallengejune2022 Day 17 - Forgiveness
Tobias lowered his eyes and stumbled. He had spent a lifetime procuring a sense of who he was, and, as much as Casey meant to him, she had never fit into the picture of the life he envisioned for himself. He thought they could have sustained as they were… but now… he couldn’t even define what they had been, and Sienna was right. Casey deserved so much more.
With a deep breath, he stood tall and wordlessly walked away.
“Where are you going?” Sienna demanded.
“Don’t worry, Si. I know exactly what I need to do.”
Sienna may have been stealthy, but her tiny legs couldn’t beat him, and the last thing she wanted to do was bring more attention their way.
“Come in,” Casey’s voice hollered from behind the door.
Her face turned pale when she saw Tobias enter, with Sienna following in quick succession. A multitude of emotions coursed over her in a matter of seconds. The first of which was anger for feeling her spirits spontaneously rise at the very sight of him. Why did she have to care for him so much! More than she ever let on, even to herself. But the time for such admissions was in the past. Whatever they had been to each other, it was over now. She told him that, and she meant it. So, why did she want nothing more than to fall into his arms? And why did her stomach clench, and bitter tears sting at her eyes when she reminded herself that would never happen again?
Sienna was breathless. “I’m so sorry, Casey,” she breathed, staring daggers at the man as she rushed to her friend’s side. “I tried to stop him.”
"It’s OK, Si,” Casey replied softly. “I suppose we’re going to have to talk at some point. I may as well get it over with.”
“You don’t have to,” Sienna insisted. “And you certainly don’t have to right now. Just say the word, and I’ll call….”
Casey squeezed her friend’s hand, stopping her words as she spoke.
“Seriously. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
“Only, If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
Acquiescing, Sienna began to back her way out of the room. “Fine,” she spat before turning to Tobias with a stern glare and a pointed finger. “But I will be watching you!”
Without taking his eyes off Casey, he raised his hands. “I’d expect no less.”
Sienna closed the door with a final look, leaving the two alone. Casey’s eyes lingered on Tobias’s for a split second before she hastily turned them away. She peered out the window, and the bright sun forced her puffy, red eyes shut.
“Why are you here?” she asked, her voice no more than a whisper. “You don’t need to be.”
“Did it ever occur to you that I want to be?”
She turned toward him defiantly. “Why, Tobias? I was never really yours to begin with. And I already told you I had a miscarriage. Your responsibility in all of this is all over. There is nothing that binds us anymore.”
“Well, I’m sorry you feel that way, Casey, but I don’t agree. I don’t agree with that at all.”
He motioned to a chair alongside her bed, slipping into it the moment that she nodded.
“What happened?” he asked. “Why were you admitted.”
“It’s precautionary. When I got home last night, I spiked a fever and started vomiting. It doesn’t seem to be related, but they kept me overnight for observation in light of the circumstances. I’ll be leaving today.”
“How do you feel now?”
“Physically? Outside of being exhausted, I’m fine.”
“And… other than physically?” he asked nervously.
Casey shifted in the bed and shrugged. “I guess I have no right to be sad about losing things that were never mine to begin with. Do I?”
“Yes,” he answered empathetically. “You do. You have the right to be sad about anything you want, and if it helps, I’m sad too.”
Her head sprung up, and she looked at him with shock. “You… you are?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” she asked with a cracked voice.
Tobias sighed loudly before sinking back into his seat, rubbing his hands over his face with frustration. “Where to even start?” he moaned. “There are so many reasons, and I hate how much I’ve hurt you.”
“You didn’t hurt me,” she lied.
“I did,” he declared. “I didn’t mean to. I didn’t want to, but I did.”
His head dropped into his hands, pausing for a moment in an attempt to regain his composure before he continued.
“I know we never… I never… defined what we were. So, it’s easy to assume that you didn’t mean much to me. But that’s not true, that’s not true at all.”
“Whenever I asked you,” she hesitated, “whenever I asked you if you wanted to be more… you….”
“I told you I didn’t believe in labels. That what we had was good, so why ruin it.”
“Yeah,” she smiled sadly while tugging at the trim on her hospital gown, “that’s what you’d say.”
“But the thing is, it wasn’tgood.”
“It wasn’t?” She gasped, her wide eyes meeting his in horror.
“No, no, not like that,” he reassured, eager to take her hand but aware he should not cross that line. “It was good. It was wonderful… forme. But I always knew that you wanted more, and I thought I was doing the right thing because I was being honest with you. But now I can see that I wasn’t being fair.”
Casey leaned back into her pillow, and her body trembled as she let out a shuddering sigh. She looked up at the ceiling before she replied. “No, you weren’t. But you aren’t the only one at fault. I was never fully honest, either. At first, I convinced myself that it didn’t matter. Because it was new, we didn’t really know where it was heading. So I thought it would be silly to bring it up. But, once I realized I wanted more, I also realized that asking for it could mean losing you all together, so I stayed quiet. I was wrong. I should have been candid, and if we weren’t on the same page, we’d each have a choice to make. But I wanted to keep you around so much that I lied to myself. I let myself believe that we were something that we weren’t. And that’s not on you.”
“Who says we weren’t?” He lamented as he reached for her retreating hand. He looked up, and when their eyes met, she returned her hand to the place it was before, allowing him to take it gently in his.
“I never wanted to settle down. I never wanted to be tied to just one person…” he admitted, “but… I haven’t been with anyone else since I’ve been with you… not once.”
“You.. you haven’t?” she asked with a scrunched brow.
“No!” He answered emphatically. “I never wanted to be. I mean, I was almost always with you… did you think….”
“We weren’t always together. We worked different shifts, we had separate homes, some different friends… we weren’t always together, Tobias. And how was I to know?”
“I’d like to say that I didn’t let you know because I didn’t think you cared, but I knew you did. I knew. I should never have left you wondering.”
“Did you… did you ever think that I was with… did you care if I was with anyone else? I wasn’t, she clarified, “but would you have cared?”
“Of course, I would have! I just didn’t let my mind go there, especially since I had no right to tell you what to do.”
They looked away from each other as the room fell silent.
“I’d see you flirting,” she said sheepishly. “It hurt sometimes, but I wasn’t… I wasn’t your girlfriend… and it never went so far that….” She tapered.
“It never went far at all, Casey. That’s just who I am. I’d flirt with that doorknob if I could. But I don’t mean anything by it. Half that time, I’m just trying to make the other person feel seen. You know?”
“I guess,” she said with a wave of her hand before correcting. “No, I didn’t. I didn’t know.”
“Then I’m sorry,” he muttered, caressing her hand in his. “I’ll never forgive myself for hurting you that way.”
“Tobias,” she cried, taking her hand back to wipe the tears beginning to trickle from her eyes. “When I saw you, with Stephanie, last night… I ….”
“I know… I know…” he fretted, “but I was only playing pool, I wasn’t….”
“Butshe was!” Casey interrupted. “She was making a play for you. It was obvious. And, from what I could see, you weren’t stopping her.”
“You’re right. I was wrong. I guess my damn ego took over, but I swear, I had no desire to… I am so, so sorry for hurting you, Casey. Especially after all you had been through.”
“You didn’t know,” she sighed, her demeanor softening.
“It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have behaved that way regardless.”
Casey took a tissue from the box on her end table. “Tobias?” she sniffled.
“Yes.”
“How would you have reacted if… if I hadn’t miscarried? If I was still pregnant now.”
“I can’t honestly say,” his voice trembled. “It was so unexpected, and that’s such a big thing… I can’t say. But I can assure you, we would have gotten through it together, and I would have been by your side. I hope you know I would have been there with you, every step of the way, no matter what you decided.”
“I do know that,” she cried.
“When you told me last night, and for a brief moment, I thought you were pregnant… after a second of abject fear, the only thing I felt was this instinctive desire to protect you. I wish I could have been with you, Casey,” he blubbered as his head fell into her lap. “You shouldn’t have had to go through what you did alone.”
“I know,” she cried. “And I shave told you straight away. I’m sorry too. But I suppose there is nothing we can do about that now.”
“What about you,” he asked. “What about you? How would you have reacted if… if things had turned out differently.”
“I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to be a mother one day. Not while I’m a resident,” she chuckled sadly. “And now with someone who didn’t want…” she stopped as her voice caught in her throat. “But … one day. I certainly wasn’t ready now, but if I would have had to….”
“You would have, and better than you could imagine,” he smiled.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Hey, you have nothing to apologize for. I should have made it clear how much I felt for you sooner. You weren’t with someone who didn’t want you, Casey. I did.I do.” He looked at her and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. “Can we work through this, Casey? I don’t want to lose you.”
She squirmed uncomfortably, her eyes filled with tears.
“But has anything changed? Do we want the same things from life? And now there is so much water under the bridge.”
“I’d like to try,” he pleaded. “Will you give me a chance?”
As the emotion of the past day began to take over, Casey broke down.
“I don’t know, she sobbed. “I just don’t know. I wish we could meet for the first time all over again. I just feel so lost right now. I don’t know what to think right now. I need some time.”
She thought her heart couldn’t have felt any more broken, but she was proven wrong when she saw the sadness in his eyes.
“If that’s what you want,” he whispered.
“It is.”
Unable to look at him, she turned to the clock. “You should go,” she insisted. “You should go. I’ve barely slept, and I probably only have a few more hours in this swank joint.” She attempted a smile. “I should try to get some sleep.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind staying. I can watch over you while you sleep.”
“There is no need. I’m sure you haven’t slept either, and you should,” she said, running her hand over the back of his head. “Thank you for coming, Tobias.”
“You don’t have to thank me. There was no place else I wanted to be.”
He stood up, doing his best not to falter as he came to his feet.
“I’m sorry I realized things too late,” he said as he kissed her forehead. “If you ever want me… need me, you know where to find me. I’ll be there.”
“I know,” she gasped, swallowing back tears. “I do. Goodbye, Tobias.”
He silently walked to the door, turning to look at her with a crooked smile before he walking away. And then he was gone, and Casey broke down in tears. Clutching her pillow close to her chest, her body trembled as it was overcome with pain. She wanted him, and she needed him. Why did she tell him to leave? She tossed her legs over the side of her bed, determined to go after him. But dizziness overtook her as she rose to her feet, causing the room to spin. She grasped the side of the bed to steady, berating herself for being so foolish. She had no choice now, she let him go.
Tobias dashed down the hallway, afraid that if he didn’t leave quickly, he would not be able to give her the space that she needed. Not with every fiber in his being fighting to return to her side, hold her close, and convince her to give them another chance. Her words echoed in his mind.
I just don’t know. I wish we could meet for the first time all over again.
He pushed the door open with all his might.
“Whoa,” he yelled, his eyes filled with fright. “What are you doing? Are you OK?”
“I’m just dizzy,” Casey replied.
“Well, let’s get you back into bed. Why were you getting up anyway?”
Safely seated again, Casey nervously nibbeld at her lip when she turned up to him.
“I wanted to go get you, because….”
“No,” he said, placing a finger over her lips. “Before you continue…” he sat in the chair and extended his hand.
“Good morning. I’m Dr. Tobias Carrick. And you are?”
A sheepish grin spread on Casey’s pretty face.
“I’m Dr. Casey MacTavish,” she smiled.
“A doctor,” he sang as he looked her over. “They always say doctors make the worst patients. I think you’re lucky that I stumbled in here when I did Dr. MacTavish.”
“You’re probably right,” she laughed. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Trust me,” he winked, “the pleasure is all mine. I looked at your chart, and it says you’re heading home today. Do you have someone picking you up?”
“Yes, my roommates… my friends are. They’ll get me home safely.”
“Good. Good. And, obviously, you’ll need some rest, but when you’re up to it… would you be interested in going on a date?”
“A date?” she exclaimed.
“Yes,” he beamed, “a proper date. Where you are treated like the treasure that you are. Where it is very clear that you’re on my arm, and that’s where I want you to be. Would you like that?”
“That would be nice,” she smiled, “but… why don’t you come to my place tonight. I could use some company and, maybe, someone to hold on to.”
“I can do that,” he asserted.
“You can?” Casey teased.
“Absolutely, I can. On one condition.”
“And what is that?” she smirked.
“I still get to take you on a proper date when you feel better,” he smiled, taking her hand.
“Oh, you just try to get out of it!” she beamed.
Tobias sat on the edge of the bed next to Casey, placing his arm gently around her shoulder.
“I this a new beginning?” he asked.
Casey gazed up at him with a sparkle in her eyes he had never seen before.
“It is,” she gushed. “It is.”
“Good,” he grinned, “because, this time, I know exactly what I want.”
“Oh,” she said as he lowered his lips toward hers. “And what’s that?”
