Michael.
ER Lounge Room.
15:23

"Wait, wait, wait, you kissed her?!"

I shrug as Dante repeats what I told him. My fingers pressed against the bridge of my nose in disbelief as I sigh disappointedly, "I don't know what I was thinking okay? We had this miracle of saving a mother from PE and her oxygen-derived baby. I never felt this way about a save, and she was there and I was there and where we worked together...God, Dante, I can't even explain it. Maybe with everything with Lisa and coming back here...I just had to tell you. I feel bad considering how you felt about her."

Dante takes a sip of his coffee before smuggling a mischievous smile at my guilty conscience, "Cleo and I went out. Once. It's not like that between us and besides, we're friends if you're wondering. I like the dynamic of our friendship. It's refreshing. The only thing I should feel upset about is how I underestimated you and your balls to finally kiss her. How did she react?"

"She seemed a bit flustered...I mean she did kiss me back, but I'm afraid I scared her off," I looked away embarrassingly.

"Do you like her?"

"Ugh, of course, I like her. It's just...I never looked at her the way I did. It was different. I was different. I don't know if I like her like...you know, I'm an intimate setting."

"Do you want to kiss her again?"

I turn my head to him as he looks at me sympathetically, "Of course, I do. It felt so new and liberating. It was different from the way I kissed Lisa. I feel horrible because ugh, I haven't even talked to Lisa, and I'm kissing another woman. Ironically, the same woman she was afraid of taking me from the beginning."

Dante chuckles lightly as his pager went off, "Welp, I got to patients to save. Man, you got to live your life and focus on being happy. Fuck it all. Peace, brotha." I chuckle as he nudges me slightly before leaving the lounge.

Momentarily, the door opened as Cleo walks in. My head turns to her as she stopped in her tracks like a deer in highlights. It's been hours since we kissed and even now, her presence also brought heavy sexual tension to the room.

I turned my head to the coffee maker before asking awkwardly, "Want me to fix you a cup?" She walks over to me before nodding, "Mhm, uh, two sugars and a cream." I answer dryly, containing my newfound desire, "Of course. How was that patient you needed to see?"

She walks over to the couch and sits down, "Eh, they're going to be okay. Just been a long ride of surgeries with that one. Possibly heart stint. A case of arteriosclerosis. I see you're still here, did you finish those things you needed to do?" I rip the sugar packs with my teeth before pouring them into the dark cocoa liquid.

"Uh, yeah. Just boring stuff. Meetings."

I put the lid on the cup of coffee before walking over and sitting beside her. She looks at me before smiling gleefully as she takes the cup of coffee from me, "Thank you. Michael about earlier..."

I interject, "I was out of line. I'm sorry. I don't want our professional relationship to be ruined." Her face was solemn before answering, "I...I wasn't going to stay that. I was going to say, I don't want to do anything we will regret. I care about you, a lot. But, I know you're sorting your feelings out right now. It wouldn't be fair to you or me if you're not one-hundred percent sure about what you want. I don't just want to be an idea of a new woman or a new way of freedom to you, but I want you to look me in the eye and know that you want to be with me." I look at her quietly as she sets the cup of coffee on the small coffee table adjacent to the couch.

Her radiant almond orbs stared into mine as she places a small kiss against my lips. I couldn't help but give her a small smile back as she does the same. "Anyways, I have to go study this case," she said before lifting from the couch and walking out of the lounge.

She seemed preoccupied or distant from me now, as if she was ashamed or embarrassed about our prior intimacy.

Eventually, the door opened once more as Cleo's popped in. "Hey, you have a call from Mercy Hospital. It's your wif— I mean Lisa," she responds mellowed. By the way, she spoke, I knew something was wrong. I immediately popped from the seat, grabbing my suave jacket, and run out of the lounge to the telephone on the desk.

"Hello, yes, this is Michael. What? A car accident? I'm on my way."

I hang up the phone as Cleo grabs my arm sympathetically before gazing up at me, "Is everything going to be okay?" My head turns to her as I look at her with a sense of urgency, "Uh, yeah. I need to go."

Mercy Hospital.
16:00

"Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson? She was recently in an accident. I'm looking for her," I requested impatiently to the front desk of the ER.

"Sir, I'm going to need you to sit down and wait until someone can get with you," the receptionist replied. I growl before slamming my fist heavily on the counter, "I don't have time for this!" Before she could answer, I walk from the desk to the elevators, hopping on with a group of nurses.

"What floor is the OR?"

"Four."

I clicked the button as the doors chimed before closing as it accelerated upwards to the floor I needed. I haven't even thought of how I would tell Lisa about me and Cleo's innocuous kiss as I knew telling her this would possibly cause her to have a heart attack here.

It was best to keep this to myself until she was at home or at least recovering from her injuries.

Once the door opened, I rushed out of the elevator to be greeted by doctors that were pushing Lisa's hospital bed. She didn't seem too bad, just minor injuries. Eventually, she saw me before smiling, "Michael." I grabbed her hand before smiling, "Hey, what happened?"

She mumbles, "They took me to get X-Rays..."

The doctor interjects as I grab the film of x-rays, examining the breakage of bone, "Transverse fracture at the anterior tibia, ruled out head trauma, no bleeding internally, minor lacerations to the head." Lisa smiles reassuringly, "I'm just going to be in the hospital for a couple of days." She lifts my hand to her lips, pressing a gentle kiss.

"Now they're taking me to surgery, are you going to stay?"

"I'm not leaving until I see you out."

OR Waiting Room
18:24

I flipped through the next magazine of Cosmopolitan before signing impatiently. My eyes couldn't help but stare back at the clock as it ticked around its never-ending circle of seconds. The only thing that seemed interesting was a man walking up and asking, "Is Lisa Marie up here?"

He was wearing a thick, white coat, signifying that he was some form of a mad scientist or a possible physician. Tall yet broad with a confident stance. Brown hair slicked back with a smile that could cut you with a knife. His hand held a little girl who looked about two or three years old. I gather that it was his daughter.

But I couldn't help this feeling. The feelings of jealousy and envy to wonder the personal dealings of this man and Lisa.

I stood up from the chair to introduce myself to the new mystery man, "Hi, I'm Michael, you know my wife, Lisa?"

I had to play it off as a nice little fellow.

He chuckles as we shook hands, "Ryan, Ryan Madare. Me and Lisa work together. I wasn't at the hospital but when I heard about the accident...I had to come. We were going to go to my daughter's friend's party." I knee down to the little girl before smiling wifely, "What's your name?"

"Rachel."

I nod my head cheerfully, "Nice to meet you."

Eventually, the doctor walks out and greets both of us.

"Hello, um, Lisa has just gotten out of surgery and she's in recovery. Would you like to see her?"

Ryan looks over at me before answering, "You're her husband, I think you should see her first." I nod my head before shoving my hands into my pockets awkwardly as I walk down to Lisa's room. My knuckles pressed against the wooden door to make a knocking sound.

"Come in..."

I obey the voice as I come in and close the door behind me. There Lisa laid in the bed tiredly as she smiles, "You're still here. What? The hospital didn't call for you?" I shook my head before sitting in the chair beside the bed.

"Even if they would've called, I wouldn't have left you."

Her head turned from mine as her eyes gazed at the blue tiles on the ceiling.

"It took me to get into a hospital bed to have your full attention from the hospital."

I sigh before looking down at my hands before mumbling, "I met Ryan and his daughter, Rachel. He seemed like a nice guy." She closed her eyes for a moment and just breathe.

Throughout the silence, as she breathed, I eventually put two and two together.

Quietly and delicately as I finally mustered the courage to ask the golden question, "How long has it been happening?"

I didn't expect such a question to cause my voice to crack.

She whispers faintly as tears slowly rolled down her cheeks, "Weeks." I lean over to rest my hand on hers before giving her a small, superficial smile, "Are you happy....with him?"

The feeling of guilt over my kiss with Cleo seemed to wash away like a stain being cleaned with bleach.

Her head turned to me as she continues to whisper, "Yes, I am, and I'm sorry I never told you. It all just snuck up on me and it's everything I've always seen myself having with you, and it just was a nonexistent dream. A part of me wished it never happened."

"Well, as they say, you can't unring a bell."

My eyes looked away for a moment as I did feel guilty.

I felt guilty as I did neglect my duties as a husband. As I was selfish and made sure that my work was over my own life. My desire for the family dynamic that I was never raised with. Lisa has seemed to find that with Ryan and his daughter, Rachel. She seemed to fill a role, a piece in their lives while with me she was just an asset. The more I sat, the more I realized how much I despise a life of domestic values. I loved being a slave to my own life.

"It would be wrong for me...if I ever shared discomfort with the fact that I can look at you and know you love me but it will never be the way you once did."

"Michael...I don't regret us. I don't regret what we had."

"I know you don't. And it would be my ultimate selfish wish if I say I'm upset or mad because I'm not. I'm just...elated you're alright from the accident and you're okay. It would be best if I leave now."

I stood from the chair as Lisa pleads, "Michael, don't go." My back was faced towards her as I walk to the door,

"I'll tell Ryan that you're alright."

Cleo.
The Apartment.
19:34

I light a couple of incense around the room before stretching my arms. I was officially off call for the night and off until noon tomorrow. It seemed like forever since I had my break, although, having a break like Michael's sounded like a better desire than several hours.

The radio continued to play slow jazz music as Rose wasn't arriving in a couple of hours from her rotation, leaving me with a free apartment to myself. I stretched my arms before walking over to my bed and laying down on the cool, silk sheets.

Knock knock knock!

I groan tiredly as I yell out, "Coming!" It angered me slightly that some wanted to bother me on my "vacation" when I've been the intern carrying the damn surgical program.

I yanked the door open to be greeted by Michael...again.

He sighs as his eyes moved from my face down to my satin baby-blue negligee. He smiles bashfully before looking back up at me, "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"

"Yeah, my couple of hours of vacation! I didn't...expect visitors. I'm off until noon tomorrow."

He chuckles hesitantly, "Sorry about that, can I come in?" I nod, allowing him to walk in and make himself comfortable on the couch, "Sure, but you surely need to live here if you're going to keep bothering me every couple of hours."

"I'm sorry. I could see this is a bad time."

I wave my hands in the air nonchalantly while smiling widely, "I'm teasing." I couldn't help but notice he was looking a bit blue as if he was watching Bambi's mother getting killed. "That call you had...What happened at the hospital? Is everything okay?" I asked curiously as I walk to the incense to blow it out.

"Lisa's fine. Just a car accident. A couple of fractures. Want to hear the real kick in the ass? I met her...new boyfriend. Toy. Thing. Uh, things are kind of serious between the two. I mean I thought I was bad and guilty of a kiss, not a full-blown affair."

He just scratches the back of his head in thought. Poor guy, he seemed to not come to grasp of his fallen relationship.

I rest my hand on his shoulder in reassurance, "Hey, it's not your fault, okay? Maybe she had to make the first move for you two to realize that...you're holding onto something that lost substance." His head turns to me as he gives me a reassuring smile, "You're right. You've always been right, you know? You were right about taking a break, and focusing on me."

"Always is a bit of stretch."

He just sighs. "Give yourself some credit once in a while. There's no need to be so modest. You're a surgeon, if anything we carry some possessive and narcissistic behavior," he answers. He seemed to "be okay," but from the solemn expression on his face, he didn't want to be alone. Not after this. Lisa's betrayal seemed to be a blow to his self-esteem.

I sat comfortably on the couch beside him before asking, "A part of me hates to see you like this. Rose won't be home for a couple of hours. We can watch a movie or something? I hate to leave you alone like this..."

"If you insist, fine. Just nothing girly..."

I lift myself from the couch and walked over to the television set and grabbed a stack of videocassette movies, reading through the topics. "Terminator, Karate Kid III, Die Hard, Pulp Fiction, Pretty Woman..." I listed. He yells out, "Die Hard! God, I love that movie."

Just like a man.

I laugh at his excitement as I grab the videocassette and slide it into the VCR before walking to the kitchen and grabbing a pack of microwaveable popcorn and placing it in the microwave. As the popcorn bag rotated along with the glass plate in the microwave, Michael yells, "Hey, the movie is about to start!"

I yell back, "I'm waiting on the popcorn!"

Momentarily, the beeper of the microwave went off as I open the door and grab the steaming bag of popcorn with the tip of my fingers before opening the fridge and grabbing two glass bottles of beer. Once I grabbed it, I asked back to the couch and sat the stash of popcorn and beer on the coffee table.

"I didn't take you as a woman who drunk beer."

I laugh lightly, "Oh, there are so many things about me you don't know." I grab the churchkey from the coffee table and popped the lids of the beers with it. Michael gazes at me for a moment as the two of us grab our bottles and clink the necks together before indulging in the foul, bitter liquid.

"This is so improper of me, spending time here in your dorm, seriously," he mumbles shamefully.

I shake my head as I take another sip of the beer before setting it back on the coffee table. "Oh please. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be taken off the edge you know? I mean, you are racking up with the surprises. Kissing me, being here in my apartment alone with me. I never took you as a guy to drink beer."

"Hard day," he chuckled out before taking another sip.

"I bet you're one of those men that watch Baywatch and Miami Vice to keep their macho spirits up."

He scoffs before teasing back, "So what, you women love a good episode of Young and the Restless."

I roll my eyes as he opens the bag of popcorn and takes a handful into his hand.

"In all seriousness, thank you for this. I'm in your debt. I don't think I could ever repay the kindness you give me, Cleo. It's been years since I've had a friend other than Dante that has given me such consideration."

I look up at him for a moment as he was giving me such a genuine and sincere smile, causing my cheeks to fluster. He chuckles at my expression before leaning forward to press a gentle kiss against my lips.

Why did he like ME of all people?

I rest my hand on his arm before laughing at the little kiss, "It's no problem, now shut up, damn. The movie is on."

Our movements were varied throughout the movie to a more comfortable position as I found myself laying against his body while his arm was wrapped around my waist from behind. He was sprawled on the couch, periodically closing his eyes for a while before opening it to fight the urge of sleeping. His slow heartbeat pumped against his chest as I rotated in his grasp so that my chest was against his.

Once I did that, his head looked down at me as I smile, "Oops, did I wake you from sleeping?"

"I was not sleeping."

"Then, what just happened in the movie?"

"..."

He sighs in annoyance before finally answering, "Okay, you caught me. At this point, I was more focused on holding you in my arms, making sure you're comfortable. It's the least I could do for the trouble I cause." His sense of care and consideration caused me to place a small kiss on his chest.

"Trouble? You're everything but trouble. I am comfortable, and you?"

"I'm starting to learn a new sense of comfort when I'm with you."

Immediately, I sit up from his body before turning away, giggling. My reaction caused him to frown disappointingly, "Did I say something wrong? I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." I shake my head as I wave my hands in the air reassuringly, "No, you're just a very smooth talker. Is it the beer? It took me by surprise. It doesn't seem like you." He stares at me blankly for a while as I found my new sanctity: back laying on his chest.

He just hums quietly, ignoring my question.

As we laid together, my body enjoyed the short release of his warmth against mine as my finger made circles against his sternum. Something just seemed to click or make some sort of sense.

Eventually, he mutters, "Can I ask you something?"

Once he responds, I sit up from his chest so that I could give him my full attention before nodding.

"When you look at me, do you see me...more than your mentor? Just be honest. Tell me what you see."

I slowly gulp before admitting, "I see someone I care about immensely even though I could see he's hurting a lot. A good friend. Someone I feel connected to." My answer caused him to raise an eyebrow before he pulls himself up to sit up on the couch,

"I like you, and I need you to understand something. I'm not your college professor, I'm not seeking to blackmail or manipulate you to sleep with me. If I kiss you, it's because I like you. If I sleep with you someday, it's because I'm in love with you and I want to feel and taste every bit of you. Do you understand that, Cleo?"

His words elegantly rolled off his tongue in a mildly seductive manner as I nod my head in agreement, which caused him to lick his plump, bubblegum-colored lips. His expressions were causing my body to pool with excitement.

"And I would hope, if the day may come for us to sleep together, it would be for us to create something extraordinary. I want both of us to gain from it. To drown in it. Not for malice. Not for monetary or personal gains, am I right?"

My lips curl at his tone before answering, "The way you talk about you and I sleeping together has led me to believe you fantasize such thoughts? Don't tell me you were just dozing off to dream of such foul things."

His laughter echoed against the walls of the room.

"No, I haven't. I'm not that pretentious or dense, Cleo. If I wanted such things, I would've coerced you into it when we first met. I'm not one of the little boys you possibly dated in your undergraduate years. It's not my endgame to see us at that point. If we are seeing each other, it would be satisfactory for me to keep it casual."

I watch as he lays back down on the couch.

"I enjoy working with you. I enjoy our friendship, and maybe that friendship could be something more. There's something there. I hope to explore that 'something more' with you, someday. Not now, though. It's just...too soon for me. I hope you can understand that. I would hate to be that guy that recklessly jumps into the pool to drown you and myself."

His orbs just gazed into mine before he rubs the back of his hand delicately against my cheek.

"I adore you. I adore your determination and wit, but realistically as I think. It's not wise for one like yourself to be with me. I would hate for your heart to be set on someone like myself when you're so young. So immaculate. So early in your career to be focused on a senior surgeon. I can't wait for people internationally to beg to sponsor you. Beg to take you away from Jasmine County. I want you to see the world. I want you to become even more successful than me, and then, when everything is said and done and you want to be with me, hm, that would make me a fool to resist. But, I would hope by then you have found someone of your status to make a suitable partner."

His knuckles continue to brush against my cheek while he just stared at me dreamily. It was as if he was admiring me as if I was fond memory engraved in his mind. I wonder what was going through his mind.

"All I can question to myself is why would you kiss me? Why are you so open to me? Do you expect me to sleep with you to give you a good recommendation? What makes you think later down the line I can give you want you desire, girl?" he asks.

My heart pounded in my chest as there were millions of answers I could give to this plethora of questions. Of how he inspired me to be a doctor. Of how he saved my life, quite literally and emotionally. Of how...when he looks at you, he just looks at you with wonder and excitement and interest...

His eyes look away for a moment in thought.

"All I can say is don't break my trust," was all that was said from his lips before the two of us laid together and slept on the couch.

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A/N: IVE BEEN SO INACTIVE IM SORRY :( I've been taking this pharmacology course for my resume and I'm so sorry to never get back to this story! Thank you for all of the reads, love, support, and feedback that I tried to make this chapter a little lengthy! Also, to the people who have voted this story as the best A/U, let's hope this story takes the win this year! To clarify further, Michael wants to be with Cleo, but he still has his doubts about trust as well as the fact he knows she's young and has a long way to go. He knows she's brilliant and successful and just like with Dr.Kingston, he doesn't want to be the one in the way of Cleo possibly getting the chance to be sponsored in another country as a surgeon or the opportunity to move to a new hospital. And Cleo, she feels as though if she tells him about her past, he's going to think she loves him in terms of "repaying" debt for saving her life. :(