72A/N: Heyyy. You guys are the best. That's all there is to it.
And because it's finals week for me and I just want to curl up in a ball and die - I wrote you guys a chapter!
She Would Not Know
"One month, no OR," Dr. Weathers stated as she stormed into her office. "Both of you."
"Dr. Weathers-" Elliott started, sitting up.
Dr. Weathers glared at Caitlin and Elliott through narrowed eyes. "Don't argue."
Dr. Weathers looked at Caitlin, evaluating her silently. Caitlin squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. She didn't bother arguing though. She was involved with her boss. She couldn't make that sound innocent even if she tried.
"Elliott, you can leave now," Dr. Weathers began, "and don't you ever stir up a scene in my OR again." Elliott looked like someone had told her Desparate Housewives was cancelled. She nodded as she got up to leave.
After the door slammed shut, Dr. Weathers sighed. "What are you thinking, Dr. Lease?" Caitlin stayed silent, looking at her fingers. "He's your boss. You understand that right? You understand how bad this looks? You understand how your colleagues might see this? You're talented, and smart, and damn good at what you do. Is it really worth the risk?"
Caitlin finally looked up. "He's not favoring me-"
Dr. Weathers cut her off. "I know that. You don't need any favors. You're an excellent surgeon in the making and all our attendings adore you. Which is why I am asking if it's worth destroying credibility for? What those people think matters. Those people have the ability to get you into a fellowship after you're done. And if this gets around, everyone else will think you're out to get favors. Is it worth it?" Caitlin stared at her hands again. "I know he's a very attractive-"
"That is not what this is about," Caitlin snapped, interrupting Dr. Weathers.
"You better be really careful then," Dr. Weathers warned her. Caitlin could tell Dr. Weathers didn't agree with her, but she knew there was some amount of respect between them.
"We can be more careful," Will nodded, plunging his chopsticks into his takeout box. Caitlin sighed as she leaned back on the couch, the ocean lapping against the shore of her home. Sarah had a shift at the hospital and Morgan was out of town for modeling, so she and Will decided to meet up at her house. Will put his box down, running his hand through Caitlin's hair. She smiled tiredly. "If you'd like, we can end this."
Caitlin became attentive immediately. "'This'?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. Will looked confused. "I didn't know we were a thing." Caitlin shrugged as Will laughed. Caitlin smiled, throwing one of her carrots at Will teasingly.
"I suppose it was never directly stated," Will said, peeling the carrot slice off of his white t-shirt. "But whatever it is, if you think it'd be better for your career to end it, then I understand. I have nothing to lose from this like you do." He shrugged.
Caitlin stared at him for a moment. He was leaned back on the couch, shirt clinging to his obvious six pack and chest perfectly. He looked relaxed. He looked up at Caitlin, face showing concern. She felt her heart swell. Caitlin didn't know what 'this' was exactly, but she didn't want it to end.
"I'm sure it would be the wiser thing to do," Caitlin began, leaning back into Will's chest, "but I'm going to vote for the 'be more careful' option."
Will kissed Caitlin's temple, smiling as he wrapped his arms around her. "That's where I'd cast my vote too." Caitlin smiled to herself feeling her body relax.
"So, Caitlin," Will began, clearing his throat in mock seriousness, "would you like to be a 'thing'?"
Caitlin sat up, turning to Will. "Seriously?" She asked, trying hide her smile. "Are we in high school?"
Will smiled adorably as he sat up as well. "Look," he began, shrugging, "I'm just trying to make sure there's no confusion."
Caitlin rolled her eyes. "Because I've totally been going around sleeping with all my bosses."
Will felt his heart pang in jealousy. He knew she was obviously joking, but the idea of Todd or any other attending touching Caitlin made him angry.
Caitlin sensed Will's anger. "Kidding," she said dryly, "I barely have time for you, let alone another few people." Will's smile returned. It was silent for a few moments before Caitlin turned around and looked at Will. He directed his attention to her. "And yes, I would like to be a thing." She smiled.
"Glad we could clear that up," Will whispered, wrapping his arms around Caitlin as he kissed her.
When Will pulled back, Caitlin kept her eyes closed for a moment, relishing the moment of peace she felt. There was a storm brewing at the hospital, no doubt, but she didn't have to think about that right now.
"What're you thinking about?" Will asked thoughtfully, lacing his fingers through Caitlin's.
Caitlin leaned back into the couch cushion, blowing out a sigh. "I just haven't felt this relaxed in awhile." Will nodded, staring at her intently. "Just after everything with Matt and starting as an intern, it's nice to have something in my life that isn't complicated.
Will tensed up uncomfortably. Not complicated. As if making a bet with his friends to sleep with her wasn't complicated. And as if winning that bet wasn't more complicated. Will felt his heart swell.
"I'm sorry," Caitlin blushed, looking down at the green carpet. "That sounded stupid-"
"No." Will said quickly, staring at Caitlin, who looked startled by Will's interruption. He took a deep breath. "It wasn't stupid," he smiled, looking at her curious green eyes. "It's just been awhile since I've actually... Communicated with someone." Caitlin nodded slowly. She wasn't use to the vulnerability in Will's voice. He always seemed so sure of everything. "But I like this," he stated, grabbing Caitlin's hand. "Us." And as Caitlin smiled back, he realized that he actually meant it.
Caitlin avoided the stares as she walked into the locker room - first day post-dramatic OR scene. Sarah said it wasn't that bad. People knew. But that they'd get bored pretty fast. Clearly Sarah hadn't taken into account the stares that would follow when Caitlin was actually in the room. She opened her locker, hearing whispers.
Kyle opened his locker next to Caitlin's, rolling his eyes. "Just ignore them," he said in a low voice, glaring at the onlookers.
Caitlin offered a weak smile, slamming her locker shut. She glared at the brunette girl across from her who looked away quickly, face turning red.
"It has to end eventually, right?" she joked, shoving her arms into the sleeves of her white lab coat.
"Just get on one of Allavoy's cases, and they'll shut right up. You can't possibly be sleeping with her for favors," Kyle joked, smiling cheesily. Caitlin glared, stopping as she opened the locker room door. "Or can you?" he laughed at his own joke.
"Your emotional support is unbelievable," Caitlin deadpanned, eyes narrowed. "And no OR for a month remember?" she smiled in fake enthusiasm.
Kyle nodded, smirking. "Well," he shrugged, "at least I have a chance at getting a neuro case now." Caitlin rolled her eyes.
"I know, right?" the brunette intern chimed in, looking at Caitlin in disgust.
"First of all," Kyle snapped, "those jokes are only funny when I make them. And second of all, no one's doing her any favors. You're just jealous because Capilla won't even give you the time of day." The intern stood there, speechless, before scoffing and storming off.
Caitlin looked at Kyle in disbelief. "Thankyou," she said, taking a deep breath. If this was the rest of her internship, she should switch to a different specialty immediately.
"Don't look so surprised, Lease," Kyle smirked, elbowing her jokingly.
"It's just," Caitlin said, shaking her head with a grin forming on her face, "you were an ass until a couple weeks a go. Just confused about the one-eighty." She shrugged, still grinning.
Kyle let out an exasperated sigh, pushing his hair back. "I'm still an ass. But even an ass will defend his friends. And while I still hate you for getting all those neuro cases, we're still in this together," he shrugged, as if this was an obvious explanation. "Guess it just took me awhile to realize that."
Caitlin smiled, leaning her head back. "At least I have a few people on my team."
"Don't count yourself out yet," he said, fist bumping her. "Elliott, Sarah, and I have your back. Ask my sisters - I can be intimidating."
Caitlin laughed. "So, I'm your sister?"
"Being friend-zoned sucks, doesn't it?" he smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.
Caitlin raised her hands in the air. "I'm completely okay with that," she defended.
Kyle laughed now, pulling his pager out of his pocket. "Don't worry, Lease. I know you only have eyes for Capilla," he winked. "Duty calls." He pointed to his pager before hurrying off.
Caitlin blew out a sigh as Dr. Weathers approached her, a huge smile plastered to her face. "That smile can't be good," Caitlin said tiredly.
"Just the intern I was looking for," she smiled, handing Caitlin a pile of charts. "You're on discharges today. Have fun."
"You're not going to make this easy on me, are you?" Caitlin asked, half-joking. She counted the charts in her arms - ten. In a perfect world, that would take about an hour or two. But being discharged was like winning the lottery - people wanted to thank you and cry and hug you for letting them leave. Not to mention the families went a little crazy too.
Dr. Weathers laughed, smirking at Caitlin in a condescending way. "Don't think of it like that, Lease," she shrugged, "think of it as perfecting some ancient skills." She winked before hurrying off.
Caitlin hurried over to the nurses' station, dropping the charts at the counter, focused on sorting through them.
"Weathers isn't going easy on you, is she?" Will asked, setting a coffee down in front of Caitlin. She stared at the coffee, then back at Will, evaluating the situation. "What? It's just coffee, Dr. Lease."
Caitlin looked at the nurses, who looked back down at their paperwork, obviously eavesdropping. "Dr. Capilla," Caitlin started sweetly.
"Yes, Dr. Lease?" Will asked, an amused smile playing on his lips. Caitlin had to fight to keep a serious face.
"What happened to 'low-key'?" she asked, adding air-quotes.
"I know," Will said, taking a sip of his own coffee. He leaned in towards Caitlin and whispered, "it's just coffee, Lease," before walking away, a smirk on his face.
Caitlin was left smiling, thumbing through her charts. She could put up with sutures and charts and discharges for a month. She could perfect her basic skills. She could prove to the other interns that she deserved to be here, that she wasn't being favored.
"Lease!" Todd shouted, walking towards Caitlin, who jumped in surprise. Todd smirked, knowing he had that affect on Will's intern. "I need an intern in the OR for my craniotomy this afternoon. You in?"
"Not unless you got Dr. Weathers to lift my OR ban," Caitlin replied, still looking down at her charts. Todd stopped at the station, waving at the two nurses who looked up at this interesting development.
"So the rumors are true," Todd said, as if he had a revelation. Caitlin rolled her eyes as she set one chart down and opened another one, reviewing patient conditions and reasons for discharge. Why was Will friend with this air-head again? "And I thought the interns were just making shit up because they're jealous."
Caitlin shot her head up, glaring. "Can you leave it?" she snapped, eyes looking over to the nurses. They probably knew, but she didn't want to discuss her business with the entire hospital.
Todd's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Fair enough, Lease," he stated. He turned around, Caitlin already went back to looking down at her charts. "It's okay, you're not the first girl whose career got obliterated by Will." Caitlin looked up immediately, not making eye contact, but instead looking up, obviously frustrated.
For whatever reason, Todd Herring got some sick pleasure from pushing Caitlin's buttons. No wonder Will could be such a jack ass - he had to put up with this guy.
"You're full of shit," Caitlin said under her breath.
"Whatever you want to believe," Todd stated, shrugging as he walked away. He smirked as he left Caitlin irritated, wandering back to Will's office.
Will was sitting at his desk, rubbing his temples as he read through a patient's case file. He looked up as Todd strode into the room. "Your fuck buddy is hot, but damn, she's easily tested," Todd said, slumping down in one of the chairs facing Will's desk, propping his feet up on Will's desk.
"Don't call her that," Will said, still paging through the file. He looked up, narrowing his eyes. "And feet down." Todd rolled his eyes, pulling his feet off Will's desk.
"That's what she is, isn't she? A fuck buddy?" Todd asked, laughing.
Will sighed, shutting the file. "Don't call her that," he stated again, this time more firmly.
"What is she then, Will?" he asked. Will stayed silent, staring Todd down. "You're not going to tell me you actually care about her, are you?" Todd looked surprised, leaning forward in his chair. He eyed Will curiously, waiting for his reply. It had been a long time since he cared about any girl as more than a one night stand.
Will swallowed. He didn't know why it was so hard to say the words. Maybe because he knew once he confirmed them, there was no going back. He could still get hurt again. Again. Will shook his head. Not again. "I do," he stated firmly. "So stop calling her a fuck buddy."
Todd nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Funny how that happened," he joked, pulling his phone out.
Will smirked. "Not exactly how I planned, but it's kind of hard to have sex with someone without having to actually talk to them. Turns out she's actually an... Intriguing person." Will shrugged.
"Does she know about the bet then? With all this talking you guys do?" Todd stated condescendingly.
"No," Will stated carefully, "no, and she doesn't need to know." His voice was more threatening. She would not know.