Day 4

“Someone is in a good mood” Kara commented as she noticed the glee on Chance’s face as he walked in for his morning shift. Chance, looking refreshed, for the morning shift, was indeed a rarity. 

"Yeah I slept well," Chance replied.

"No… this is different" Kara pried. "I've known you for far too long, good sleep is not your cue. The glow you have is like…" She tried very hard to think. "Ahh… you had sex".

"Of course I did. You know about my deal with Dr. T" Chance rolled his eyes.

"Yes, but so far you've been miserable. But you seemed to have enjoyed it this time. I wonder what changed"? Kara smirked. 

"You really want explicit details of my sex life"? Chance asked with a sly smirk. "Ouch"!A loud smack landed on Chance’s head making him wince in pain. "Fine… we went for dinner".

"I knew it"! Kara chirped. "You went on a date, no wonder you look so happy."

"It was not a date, we merely had dinner," Chance corrected her.

"Let me ask you, who picked the restaurant?"

"He did"

"Who paid for the food"?

"He did… but in my defense it's his fault for choosing such an extravagant one. He makes more money than I do, it's only fair he paid."

"Yeah, that's a date".

"It was not a date"! Chance repeated himself. "It was just for some dinner. It's casual"

"Sure" Kara nodded, however her disbelief was pretty evident.

"You don't think I can keep it casual"? Chance challenged. 

"Can you"? Kara raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "Tell me how your not-date was"?

"It was frustrating. He was so annoying" Chance sighed. 

"Annoying, huh. I think he is growing on you." Kara teased.

"Do you even know what Annoying means"?

"I do, but the Chance I knew used to find Dr. Tyson unbearable. Annoying seems like a step down". Kara shrugged.

"These are just words. Rest assured nothing has changed." Chance shook his head.

"Except you did each other" Kara smirked earning a glare from Chance.

“Can we get back to work”? Chance asked, dead serious this time. “Okay, Okay…”

Since it was Saturday, the emergency visits were a little more than expected, especially towards the evening. Chance and Kara had to take turns for the lunch to ensure that the ER had enough manpower it needed. From simple measurement of the vitals to some major suturing (stitching) , all had to be done by them. 

“Why is it so busy on the weekend?” Kara sighed after she got back from lunch.

“It’s just the day, imagine the night shift” Chance scoffed.

“What’s up with the night shift”? Asked Kara.

“Are you serious? Weekend is like party time for most of the young population. More drunk people, more accidents…” Chance sighed. “It’s a chaos”

“Right. Who told you that”? Kara asked.

“The residents” Chance shrugged pointing at one of the residents who was busy intubating the patient. Kara nodded at him, but she stopped abruptly… more like she froze on her spot. “What”? Chance frowned.

Kara whose eyes were fixated behind Chance shook her head, “Never mind” and she disappeared. 

Chance, suspicious of her actions, turned around and spotted the person who elicited the response from Kara. “Jess”? Chance was surprised. Yes, it was his ex-girlfriend.

“Hi” She raised her hand meekly. 

Chance looked around before approaching her, “What… are you doing here”?

“I can’t come here”? Jess tilted her head.

“Of course you can...but” Chance struggled. Seeing her brought back feelings. Not the feelings of love or even like, but resentment. After all, she did dump him. What he hated was that she dumped him over a text and refused to take any calls until she quite literally disappeared. Chance had a lot of anger pushed inside, which was threatening to come out.

“I see you and Kara are still working together” Jess commented.

“For the last time, there is nothing going on between us”! Chance snapped but he looked around to see if his loud voice attracted any unwanted attention. He was lucky that it didn’t.

“It’s cool… I really don’t care” Jess pursed her lips. “I am sorry… for being such a coward, back then”

“Are you here to apologize? Why are you apologising to me?” Chance narrowed his eyes suspiciously. 

“Relax, I am not trying to get back together with you. Not after two years I won’t” Jess shook her head. “I still believe we are incompatible… But I wanted to say I am sorry”

“Why are you here”? Chance asked again.

“I am here to see my boyfriend. He is admitted here” Jess shrugged.

“Oh thank god” Chance blurted out, until he was himself confused why he said that. For some reason, Jess might try at all to get back together with him bothered him. And not only because he had a deal with Dr. Tyson

Jess narrowed her eyes but sighed. “I see the doctors who did a lot of work to save him. He almost lost his leg, but they managed to reattach it without much complications. Seeing them working so diligently made me realise why you were so engrossed in studies. I felt bad” Jess shrugged.

“Wow… you have changed” Chance was surprised. “What happened to you”?

“I grew up? I guess” Jess chuckled. “Then I met Josh.” 

“Wait, this Josh… is he admitted in the Orthopedics ward”?

“Yeah.. like I said, his leg had to be reattached, so... they are keeping them there for now. They are considering shifting him to plastic surgery later.”

“I see,” Chance nodded.

“So… we’re cool right? I really am sorry for ghosting you”

“You have moved on… and so have I, I guess” Chance declared, unable to keep the smile off his face. Before Jess could say something further he stopped her, “Not Kara”.

Jess chuckled. “Okay. I should go. Josh is waiting” She shrugged.

“Goodbye. I would love to catch up with you… but as you can see” Chance turned around to the almost full ER, “I gotta go. Bye. It was weirdly nice seeing you” Chance sighed and bid his farewell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~```

Dr. Tyson was running late for his early weekend shift, but somehow he managed to make it just in time for his rounds. He noticed his interns approaching him and wondered what might have happened. 

“Dr. Tyson, we have had two new patients since tomorrow. One of them had a mild hairline fracture, so we prescribed him some pain meds and a brace and discharged him this morning. The other one, a twenty seven year old male, had a compound fracture of the Tibia, causing massive blood loss and major tissue damage. 

He was rushed to the OT and necessary repairs were done, he just recovered from the anesthesia, so he is under observation for now.” One of his interns, Ana, declared.

“Alright, who led the surgery”? Dr. Tyson asked.

“Dr. Mcgrath. The on-call doctors weren’t available so he had to take over” The other co-intern, Deon, declared.

“Well, as a fourth year resident, he is authorised. Where is he now”? Dr. Tyson asked.

“He asked for a day off. After the hectic schedule yesterday. He wanted us to give this case to you for the day” Ana mumbled cheekily.

“Of course he did” Dr. Tyson sighed. “Leave the file to me, I will take a look” and thus he dismissed his interns. Upon going to the patient's room, he noticed the patient, barely awake, while a woman (presumably his girlfriend) was sitting next to him with a poignant smile.

“Mr. Joshua Atkins?” Dr. Tyson asked. The patient turned his head towards the doctor and nodded. “How are you feeling?”

“I am in a little bit of pain,” Joshua groaned. 

“You broke your bones, you are lucky it’s little bit of pain” Dr. Tyson mumbled, earning dirty looks from the couple.

“Can you tell us how long it will take for him to heal completely”? His girlfriend asked. “I am asking because our wedding is close.”

“You can have a wedding here. Call an ordained friend and they’ll hitch you up right this instant” Dr. Tyson snapped. Both of them appeared taken aback by the hostility, and even Dr. Tyson was confused by his sudden outburst, so he added. “He almost shattered his bones, it’ll take long enough. You might wanna postpone”.

“Thank you,” The girlfriend nodded.

“Hey… I am okay” In his sleepy daze, he comforted his girlfriend, or fiancee as revealed recently.

“Really”? The fiancee smirked. “Guess whom I ran into today?” she asked. When Joshua didn’t respond she added, “Chance” 

Apparently that name took not one but two people by surprise. Dr. Tyson, who was writing something on the chart immediately halted. Chance was not a common name, certainly not in this hospital and somehow hearing that woman say that name so casually… bothered him.

Joshua on the other hand was wide awake after that, “Wait, Chance as in your obsessive workaholic ex”? He asked. With a tagged eye roll, his fiancee nodded. “What is he doing here”? Joshua panicked.

“He was a doctor, remember? He works here.” His fiancee declared as a matter of factly.

“What did he want? Does he want you back”? Joshua panicked and flinched as he tried to wake up. “I mean, you dumped him. He can’t be too happy to see you” Dr. Tyson was done with his notes, but somehow he found himself getting sucked into the conversation.

“Are you kidding me? No! He does not” The fiancee raised her voice. “I mean he was a little pissed, but I made it very clear that I am unavailable” She cleared her throat. “But it’s nice to see you finally awake” She chuckled.

“Wait, so were you messing with me just to wake me up”? Joshua asked.

“A little. But he really does work here. He is a doctor in the ER. If you came in this morning, you might have met him” Chuckled the fiancee. Hanging the chart on its place Dr. Tyson simply headed out of the room without any further word. 

He headed back to the clinic and evaluated the patients as they came by, but as his duty hours were over, nearing lunch time, he couldn’t help but think about Chance's ex-girlfriend, who showed up out of nowhere. Finally unable to take it anymore, he headed off to the cafeteria.

He didn’t order much, just a smoothie when he noticed Kara, his intern from the last month, sitting with a man who from the back appeared to be none other than Chance Lopez. He decided to head straight for the table. 

Kara, as soon as she noticed Dr. Tyson approaching them, froze and tried to gain Chance’s attention without saying any word. Chance however was too invested in his meals. “Hey, can you give us a minute”? Dr. Tyson asked Kara.

Chance finally looked up from his burger, stunned, to see Dr. Tyson here.

“Sure. I have to get some…. Juice, anyways” Kara mumbled and took her leave.

Taking the empty seat, Dr. Tyson asked, “Did you know one of your ex is here”? He asked.

Chance frowned for a moment, until he recalled Jess. “Oh yeah. I think her boyfriend, Josh, I am guessing, is admitted in your department.”  he shrugged.

“Try fiancee” Dr. Tyson clarified.

“Really?” Chance seemed amused. “Huh, I never pegged Jess to be the tied down type” he chuckled.

“So you are clearly not gay.” Dr. Tyson commented.

“No, I am bi” with a mouthful of burger Chance declared.

“Alright, well apparently this guy is very threatened by you.” Dr. Tyson shrugged. 

“Me”? Chance was visibly confused after gulping the food. “What did I do”?

“Apparently since this girl, Jess dumped you, he believes you might go after her” Dr. Tyson informed him, whilst taking a sip from his smoothie.

“Ahhh… poor man” Chance shrugged.

“So… is he right.. To be worried”? Dr. Tyson asked.

Chance frowned at him, “Since when do you care about my personal life”?

“I am just making conversation” Dr. Tyson shrugged and took another sip.

“So, if I were to ask you about your past relationships, you won’t mind”? Chance asked.

Dr. Tyson blinked, and Chance could have sworn he saw a moment of fear flicker through those eyes, “Nevermind” Dr. Tyson brushed it off.

Trying to change the direction, Chance asked in a much teasing manner, “Dr. Terrence Tyson, are you jealous”?

“Of what”? Dr. Tyson scoffed.

“Of my ex-girlfriend,” Chance pointed out.

“Don’t be ridiculous. What would I be jealous”? Dr. Tyson shook his head and stood up to leave. 

Chance, who had one last bite to take, ate it in a hurry and ran after the doctor, “Wait”! Dr Tyson halted, so Chance finally managed to catch up to him just in front of the elevator. “If you are wondering if I have some residual feelings for Jess or something, I can assure you I don’t.” Chance added.

“I don’t care” Dr. Tyson declared bluntly.

Ignoring his comment, Chance added. “You on the other hand…” Chance closed in, making sure his mouth was close to Dr. Tysons ears. Dr. Tyson did seem confused, but he didn’t flinch… yet. “I have some feelings for”

Dr. Tyson froze and simply stared at Chance who had a flirtatious smirk plastered to his face. “What”? After much difficulty, Dr. Tyson managed to blurt.

“Yeah, I find you extremely…” Chance closed in a bit more, lowering his voice seductively. “Annoying” he finished in a normal voice before he winked and left. 

It was beyond understatement to say Dr. Tyson was pissed, “Hey, Lopez”! He shouted earning the intern’s attention. 

He mouthed ‘f**k you’. To which he received a loud reply, “Yeah, I know you want to” and then Chance ran away from the scene leaving Dr. Tyson stunned and frozen to his spot… for a while.

Meanwhile, Chance appeared in the ER with a huge smile plastered to his face. “What did Dr. Tyson do this time”? Kara asked.

“Nothing. But I teased him, successfully”! Chance rejoiced. “Point one for Slytherin”! Chance declared.

“You and your harry potter references” Kara shook her head. “You teased him, and now you can’t stop smiling,” Kara pointed out. “He is growing on you”

“No he is not”! Chance snapped.

“Okay, then do not think about him even once for the rest of the evening” Kara challenged her teammate.

“Done”!

At the end of the shift, Kara approached her friend, “I caught you smiling like an idiot twice, Don’t you dare tell me you did not think of the doc even once” Kara narrowed her eyes.

“Seven times” Chance gulped. “Okay, you might be right.” He sighed. “Maybe I can’t do casual. I gotta stop this thing.”

“Are you crazy? Clearly you two are enjoying each other, and if you managed to tease him successfully, who knows. It might turn into a very good relationship” Kara suggested.

Chance shook his head lightly. “He is not ready for a relationship” He mumbled.

“Did he tell you that”?Kara asked.

“I could tell, from the way he acts,” Chance sighed.

“Oh god! Look, you said the sex was terrible, now you are clearly enjoying yourself. Maybe he will change his mind about dating you” Kara suggested. “Don’t worry too much about it.”

“You think”? Chance asked to which he received a nod. They bid each other farewell and Chance headed back to his room. He received a text from Dr. Tyson {You up for tonight?}

Chance, who was still not over the fact that he might start to get serious now that he has started to get used to Dr. Tyson texted the doctor, {Not today. Too tired. My car broke down, can’t drive}. Chance was about to put the phone down when he decided to try something and typed, {If you wanna come over...} then followed by his address. After a few seconds, the message turned to seen, but a reply was something he never got.

Chance took a shower, and he was about to head for the bed when the doorbell rang. Chance didn’t bother to even put on a shirt and directly opened the door to reveal Dr. Tyson waiting there. “I thought you weren’t..”

“Coming? I wasn’t going to. But then I recalled you didn’t want to show me your place, so I got curious.” Inviting himself in and looked around, “This looks okay, I dunno why you were so worried” 

“I wasn’t worried. I was just scared… of you” Chance admitted.

“And you are not scared of me anymore?” Dr Tyson raised an eyebrow teasingly.

“I am terrified,” Chance nodded, then approached Dr Tyson till he was face to face with the other. “I am just trying to be a bit braver” He mumbled and then placed his lips onto Dr. Tyson’s.

In the heat of the moment, Chance pushed Dr, Tyson gently till Dr. Tyson’s lower half almost collided with the sofa causing them to disbalance. Chance managed to prevent the other from falling, and mumbled in a very deep voice while trying to catch his breath, “The bedroom… is over there.”

“It doesn’t always have to be a bedroom.” Dr. Tyson suggested, and within the next few seconds both of them ended up on the couch, with Chance hovering over Dr, Tyson. Chance tried to take his chances with the exposed collarbone in front of him, while the excited moans kept encouraging him further. Chance was about to bite when he pulled away and asked, “Do you… want to take the lead”? Dr. Tyson struggled for a moment before he shook his head no, very slowly. “But… don’t you-”?

“I thought we could both try to be a bit braver” and with that, Dr. Tyson pulled Chance in for another heated make out session.