Dr. Rutherford.

“Doctor Yilmaz, there’s someone to see you? They won’t give me their name.” The nurse who told Leyla about the announcement gave her a once look over. She was one of the meaner nurses, the one who thought she was too good for the work she was doing. Or simply unhappy with herself. Leyla tried to be nice before, but she had since given up. 

“That’s fine, Elie, I’ll go see them.” 

But there was an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach, as if a silent warning for what was to come. But the surgeon got those every now and again. Mostly it was a feeling about someone coming in a dire condition. Sometimes it was the bleeding after a miscarriage - those were one of the worst ones.

The corridor was a short walk to where the reception was. Though she certainly wasn’t ready for what she was seeing. It was one of the Rutherfords, one man who used to come knocking at her door. Used to, as it’s been over a month since she had stopped. 

“I told Josh that I am not doing this anymore.” Her voice was quiet, and Leyla kept a safe distance away from him. “I’m done. You have to find someone else. I don’t want to do this anymore.” Her only hope was that no one was there to see her. 

The man had a wound, but it wasn’t deep. “Leyla… You have to. We can’t fins someone else… Jai…” 

Leyla immediately cut him off. “Don’t you dare use his name.” Her tone was harsh against her usual soft tones. 

“You don’t have a choice. You know you don’t. Not anymore.” 

One more word out of the man’s mouth and she was going to charge - do something, anything to get that man out of her sight, out of her life for good. 

.

It hadn’t been his intention to eavesdrop. When he’d gone in search of his own caffeine fix, Gideon realised that she was likely in the same boat as him tonight. It was getting late, and given that he had a small gap in his schedule, a conversation with a friend seemed like a good way to fill it. When he’d arrived, stopping just out of sight when he heard hushed tones suspicious enough to pique his concern, he realised that something wasn’t right. As soon as the man’s face came into sight and Gideon realised he’d seen him loitering around Lara’s fight club, he immediately put things together.

The name Jai had been thrown around a lot in his family as of late, even to him, someone who tended to avoid conversations about the criminal side of Rutherford business. Gideon knew that he’d meant a lot to many, and that his loss, to whichever enemy they’d incurred the wrath of this time, had caused nothing but pain and problems. But to hear Leyla of all people react to the mention the way she had caused confusion at first. Then dread. The tone of her voice didn’t smack of someone who wasn’t somehow invested. Did she have connections to their people that he hadn’t even known about? Or was paranoia having him make massive fucking leaps to conclusions that didn’t bear thinking about?

When the fighter voiced what sounded like a threat, however, the Rutherford could no longer stand back as a silent observer. What did he mean, she didn’t have a choice?

“Hey,” he interrupted, annoyance blatant. “You know who I am?”

The man said nothing in response, but the expression he wore spoke volumes. It took a moment for it to register. Yes. With a jaw tensed in defiance, his eyes abandoned the glare directed toward the Rutherford as they instead sought the nearest exit. Still, stunned by the unlikeliness of this particular interruption, he didn’t protest.

“Leave now, or my sister will be your main concern instead of hospital security.”

Did Gideon have any actual sway over what happened to any of his family’s employees? No. But even if this Neanderthal did know that, he likely wouldn’t have risked getting chewed out over something like this. It truly was amazing, the powers a last name could possess, even when one didn’t want to be associated with it.

Though the man didn’t say a word as he departed, the glare he shot Leyla’s way had Gideon genuinely considering flexing his name once more. If he hadn’t been so averse to conflict, he might’ve pushed it farther right there, but for the sake of the woman watching, and his own sanity, Gideon let it go. The surgeon couldn’t bring himself to look back at her until the man finally disappeared through the double doors at the end of the hallway. Christ. Clearly, she had some connection to the side of the Rutherfords he actively tried to avoid. The real question was, had she known he was a part of that family this whole time..?

Perhaps he didn’t even want to know. 

“Are you all right?”

With a small break between the movies, Leyla walked up to Gideon, grinning. “Chew, if only you could see what I’ve seen with your eyes.“ Her voice was the best reenactment of Roy and his voice. “A gathering of those closest. How sweet is this? You better be enjoying this, because I won’t take anything less than your cheeks hurting at the end of the night.”

.

“Damn, Rutger, is that you? Do Tears in Rain next...”

Actually, and much to his own surprise, he was enjoying himself. Gideon typically avoided large gatherings for his birthday (he was never one for the fuss) but his brother had respected his wishes, and the small group of friends he’d rounded up for the occasion was just what he needed. It was a surprise to see her face in the usually impenetrable sea of posh, but one he was grateful for.

“Hope you don’t mind the nerd marathon. It’s not quite Leylapalooza,” he teased, referencing her party, far superior in scale, but one she had deserved every minute of, “but it’s more than enough for me. Glad Damon managed to drag you here. Sorry you have to put up with all the snobs, though. I pick the most obnoxious friends."

The attention that was coming from everyone was proving to be difficult to navigate. As a person who tended to make sure everyone else was doing okay, had everything, were feeling good - this whole centre of attention, left her blushing almost constantly. Leyla wasn’t sure how looking like a tomato worked for her look, but then again, she cared very little. Most of the people that she cared for and loved were here, all in one place, all with smiles on their face. What more could she ever ask?

As she turned around, jumpy and once again blushing, her eyes followed the piece of paper that Gideon had in his hand. “for a small second I thought you drew me something.” She joked, taking the piece of paper and analysing as if it was work done by Picasso himself. 

Leyla wasn’t a material person, she always preferred things that came from the heart that an object. The Weekend that Azra and Nora pulled was a great example. But now, as she looked at a drawn picture of her and Felix, her smile widened. “This is the best gift I have ever received. I think this is his secret message to me, telling that I have to bring him back some cake. And for this work of art? I think he needs far more than that.”

Without another word, Leyla stepped closer to Gideon, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. “Thank you, so much. This is…. I’m speechless.” With a step back, she placed the card to her heart. “Wait, what?” This time, the surgeon looked up, arching her brow at her friend. “Rest of my gift? Gideon… You being here, this card… That’s all I need, you know? This, all of it, is perfect as it is.”

.

“Oh, if there’s no cake, he’ll be devastated. You might have to hand deliver it, though, because I can’t promise any I take is going to survive the trip without disappearing.”

It was nice to see her so relaxed. Outside of the bustle of the hospital, and away from the damning social expectations of the parties he usually got dragged to. Even though he’d been sceptical about showing up for the weekend, not only had she been exactly the reason he’d gone against his usual isolationist tendencies, but she was proving to be the reason he was happy to have done so. Gideon smiled. When she embraced him, albeit unexpectedly, he didn’t hesitate to return the hug.

Perhaps making a habit of it wouldn’t be so bad.

“Look, my company is decent, but it’s not that good,” he asserted, unable to keep a straight face despite his best efforts. “Besides, it was a collaborative effort. You can’t say no to that. You don’t want to disappoint the child.” 

“…and that’s why I call him Saint Gideon.” Damon might have easily spent the whole three-hour drive from London talking up his brother to Heather, not that Gideon needed to have his praises sung, and the woman seemed keen enough already. But that didn’t stop Damon from telling one story after another, all describing something heroic and noble on Gideon’s part.

“I like her. She seems sweet,” he smiled at his brother once he parked the car along the highway for a small bathroom break and coffee run that their dates had requested. It felt nice, two of them, going on a ride together. It had been a minute since they were both free and able for a little getaway at the same time. Even though Damon hardly let a long time go by without dropping by at Gideon’s, somehow the time was never enough, and he was in a constant state of missing him. 

“Sweet, smarter than I am, and makes her own cannoli. You can spend the entire journey singing my praises, but we all know I’m batting out of my league, here.”

Again.

It’d been a pleasant and unawkward journey thus far. He was grateful for that. Despite having been initially hesitant about bringing Heather along, if the rest of the weekend went at a similar speed, it was obvious he’d made the right decision. Gideon had wondered whether Damon would be upset that he’d chosen to introduce her this way; the two were so close, he probably deserved to meet her before he’d dragged her to Spencer. But family was important to him. He wanted to get it right. Taking a sip of his coffee, he turned to look at his little brother.

“It wasn’t you I was worried about,” the surgeon added with a hint of amusement. It was both serious observation and not at the same time: “She still has to survive Lara.”

“I present to you: art.”

As soon as the final word left his mouth--with dramatic flare, for good measure--the piece of paper he was hiding behind his back was brought into full view. It was a birthday card, so he figured he could get away with cheating and giving it to her a little early. Trying to find any time to get the birthday girl alone was proving difficult, but Gideon couldn’t begrudge her that. For someone who was always putting others before herself, it was nice to see her as the centre of attention for a weekend that she more than deserved. He was just happy to be a part of it.

“I didn’t get included in the picture, which I think is rather telling,” he pointed out with feigned bitterness, taking a look at the front of the hand-drawn card one last time before he handed his son’s work over. “But I think that’s supposed to be him stood next to you, possibly dressed as a leprechaun, eating all of your birthday cake.”

His son was a charmer, all right, but he was no artist.

“I can’t really bring the rest of your gift to you, so I guess you’re just going to have to exercise some patience, and wait until we’re back in London.”

“Do you think it’ll hold up if it starts pouring?” Her gaze was directed to the little canopy she’d set up just in case. “Go and ask Heather if we can put lights on this without being electrocuted when it’s pissing down.” Subtle.  If she hadn’t actively been trying to move a little table underneath she would have been bouncing with the pure energy of interested mischief.  “You realise you worried about this weekend, yet were super cavalier about letting Mills and Boon near her. Why do you wanna hurt me?”

“Now who’s being dramatic?”

As he glanced up at the makeshift canopy, he certainly wasn’t considering the safety of added electronics. More likely how he could position her in just the right place to drench her with any pockets of rain that did happen to gather above them... The corner of his mouth twitched in amusement, but in an instant it faded, and he found himself, once again, in awe at the lengths she would go to for the happiness of another. 

Leyla was lucky to have her.

So was he.

Gideon was a beautiful, brilliant, idiot. Jessica could see clearly why women in the hospital fawned over him, but Jessica could not help but see him as a sweet, oblivious man. His habit of speaking his thoughts aloud without context was enough for her to feel proven correct in her categorization. “Yes… I just came off my 13 hour shift. I needed caffeine,” she chuckles watching his face contort as he processes her words.

“She did, but I figured I would just grab this fast and get back,” Jess replies and moves past him to stand outside once more, “Gideon, are you okay?” she asks with concern, “You look panicked,” the RN admits arching a brow, “Did I mess something up?” Jessica asks with a touch on guilt to her face.

.

“I’m not panicked, I’m just a spectacularly bad liar.”

Hoping she wouldn’t ask too many more questions out of pity, Gideon held the door for her until she was fully outside, before he started a course back toward the hospital. Maybe they cake would redeem his disastrous efforts.

“Can you do me a favour and pretend I didn’t screw this up so badly when you get back to the hospital? I don’t want Alyona spending the rest of the day ripping into me for being a ‘useless airbag’ with the ‘social awareness of an amoeba.’” As he echoed her fellow nurse’s favourite descriptors, he did so in an enthusiastic rendition of her Russian accent, face just as stern. “Think she likes me? I think she secretly likes me...”

Leyla: And that's what I call a - win.

Leyla: !! Uhmmmm, that's fabrication? I'm sure you can go to jail for lying. In any case - it won't matter. Felix will know the truth. Don't underestimate him. And of course. Me and him still have a date. Last time we played pirates - we've got treasure to find. Obviously.

Leyla: I'm an angel, it's a given. :)

Leyla: Would you mind? I'd be grateful and owe you something spectacular.

Gideon: Of course it is...

Gideon: !! Uhmmmm, prove it in a court of law?

Gideon: As long as there's only a minimal amount of rum involved, I will allow you one whole pirate-themed date before you're banished.

She hated going in for coffee and a bagel when she was messy from work. Her once clean blue scrubs now have dark red speckles on the paints, and though they have been sprayed with sterilizer, Jessica still wished she had kept a second pair in her locker at work. Nevertheless, she was coming off of a 13 hour shift and needed something to make her happy. Once she nears front, she smiles to a couple known faces as they ask if she wants ‘her usual’ which she simply replies, “Yes, but bigger,” and they laugh before grabbing their large cup.

By the time she is at the front of the line to pay, Jess moves to hand over her card, but is handed a bagged bagel with ham and cheese. Puzzled, The RN looks up to the cashier who just smiles, “On us,” he says and proceeds to hand her the cup of her coffee as well, “Happy Birthday Ms. Reyes,” Jessica smiles warmly and takes the gifts with her thanks before turning to leave the building feeling her heart warm with the knowledge that someone remembered and was kind enough to do a small thing for her.

It’d been Alyona who’d given him the strict instructions about what to order; followed by an almost accusatory ‘make sure you don’t fuck it up!’ for good measure. They didn’t trust him with anything more complex and he couldn’t say he blamed them. Certified genius he might’ve been, but he still had to scribble down the desired contents of the bagel on a piece of paper so that he didn’t forget in the short journey from the hospital to the café just down the road so heavily frequented by its staff.

The end of Jessica’s shift drew nearer, and despite the fact they’d done well to act as though they had no idea it was her birthday at all, some of the other staff in their small circle were back at the hospital getting the cake ready. Gideon had thought she’d still been cleaning up after her shift, so it more than took him by surprise when it was her that he all but collided with when attempting to enter the building before him.

With what he assumed to be her ‘usual’ already in hand. Shit.

“Wait, you already left the hospital?” Only when the words had already left his mouth did he realise how abrupt it sounded. “Didn’t Alyona tell you she needed you to stick around? I think she had something she needed to discuss with you about one of your patients.” Fuck, he was such a bad liar. “It shouldn’t take more than ten minutes.”

Leyla: d e b a t a b l e

Leyla: I can easily do a survey. Say I'm doing it for the good of the hospital. I'm sure a lot of people will bee eager to chip in. :) Just say the word!

Leyla: Tell Felix that it wasn't by choice. Tell him that I'll get out word to him even from a tower far far away. He will understand, we have our own code.

Leyla: Yeah, but... And I don't say this often about people, your spouse was a world class shit eating Dung beetle. 😇

Leyla: I've tried gentle though. I honestly don't know what else to do. he seems to take my 'no' as a maybe, or a 'no for today'. And the scalpel thing is exactly why I haven't been harsh yet. Don't want this to become a situation like the American schools, you know. I'm open to suggestions, though.

Gideon: i f y o u s a y s o.

Gideon: I'm going to tell Felix you disappeared and stole all the Nutella before you left. A secret code with my child smh. No wonder he shows up at the hospital to see you and not his own bloody father.

Gideon: I appreciate the use of the angel emoji after that, despite the scathing tone, by the way. Very Leyla.

Nora: What part of me asking you first so you could pick the date most convenient for you, where you're most likely to show up, because Leyla and I would be fucking thrilled to see you there and put precedence on your presence, said you're not wanted?

Nora: THREE DATES. You can hold her hand now and not seem like a fuckboi. Of course that's counted, sounds very risqué to me. Ooh yea that's an awkward one, because if you tell her she can have her own bed she might be all 'are we dating? are we fucking? are we best friends? are we something in between that?' I hope you know I sang that. Do you want me to text and mention the beds option?

Nora: You realise I was about to offer to babysit? This is how committed I am to your dating life. Then I was gonna say bring the kids along, but please don't because you know Leyla will only spend the entire weekend playing with them instead of being the centre of attention.

Nora: She could fit. The other day, Damon tried to see what the smallest thing I could fit in was. And she's definitely teenier, maybe taller.

Nora: This is how she became your sister in the first place I suspect. So I am loudly clapping, for what would you do without her. You know you won't have peace if you miss Leyla's birthday, right?

Nora: We can make a deal with her where she gets yeeted in the lake any time the glare hits boiling point. You can propose it and be her first victim. Actually I should propose it because Lara likes me. I tell everyone that, like it's a badge of honour. I'll just keep handing her drinks.

Nora: Are you building me a fort?

Gideon: I was being dramatic. Can you let me be dramatic?

Gideon: I didn't want to say anything because I knew you'd make a comment like 'THREE DATES? You can hold her hand now and not seem like a fuckboi.' I'm psychic. Unless she text you already. In which case this joke is redundant. I suppose you could always just give us a twin, and tell her it's okay to rearrange the furniture if she wants?

Gideon: You're more committed to my dating life than I am. I don't know whether I should be grateful or ashamed.

Gideon: Well, I don't know what that means, but I'm going to go ahead and try not to think about it too much.

Gideon: I think you might be right. Wouldn't have it any other way now, though. As for the highly aggressive threat to my peace, I'll remember this next time you want quiet.

Gideon: Okay, now this is a plan I can get behind. You can definitely break the news. Who's going to do the yeeting? Can we take it in turns? Maybe someone can get a prize for yeeting her the furthest...

Yes, immensely. Currently trying to figure out part of the patio to bury her under.

As for who to side with, he’ll run off with Spencer whilst they’re battling it out. Duh?

On a serious note, though, Gideon will absolutely take less time with his best friend to see him not fuck things up with Alexis again. I think Spencer wasn’t obvious with most people about how badly his divorce fucked him up, but Gid is kind of his go-to to unload those kinds of things, so he’s more than aware that he went through a lot after that. There’s nothing he wants more than to see him move on and be happy with someone else. Especially because he can see how much happier Spencer is with Alexis than he has been without her. Besides, it’s not like they’re going to see each other that much less. They’re busy people anyway and I imagine it’s already hard to make their schedules mesh well. It’ll be normal for them.