not the same

TASK 1 - ABOUT ME.

Samuel Brennan (Chris Evans) is the only grandchild of two of the most famous surgeons on the East Coast, but who has done everything in his power to stay as far away from their shadow & the privileges that would come with it as possible. He’s worked so hard for what he has, that in the process he’s lost the thing he wanted more than anything; a happy family. Since his divorce two years ago, he’s working on giving other things priority in his life other than his work. 

       “Oh, please.. it’s just donuts and coffee. Not a grand meal but just an expression of gratitude, for doing what you did and uh.. being so cool about it.” She offers a warm smile, a genuine one indeed. Sam was a cool guy, and she genuinely appreciated good people. “In fact, so cool that my daughter’s now determined to be a doctor just like you. So much so, I had to buy her this whole kit and she hasn’t stopped checking my heart rate and wrapping my arm up since.” Amusement colours her features; he was good with jokes too. Camila pauses in consideration, before nodding and allowing her feet to propel her forward before she could even respond. “You don’t have to tell me twice. I’ll never turn down a good donut, and I promise you.. these are good. Fresh out the oven from Sugar Daddy.” 

—

“Well, your expression of gratitude has me feeling pretty grateful.” he replied with an easy grin. Sam knew this was uncharted territory. He knew Cam was Jamie’s friend and as such probably part of the ‘We Hate Samuel Brennan’ club. So he appreciated and recognized this for what he assumed was an olive branch of sorts. “Yes!” he made a fist pumped it back towards him as if he had accomplished some great feat. “Chalk one up for the future generation of Mystic’s doctors! I mean, we both know she’ll change her mind to something else in a week or two, but the seed was planted, at least.” He fell into step beside her, glad to have the company. This was much better than going home and facing that big house alone like he normally would be after a shift. “Mmm, can’t wait.” he said as he closed his eyes a bit, already savoring the goodness they were about to devour. 

❛ Alright, Alan. Remember that it’s one pill a day, three days a week and if you have any question, you know to never hesitate to call. ❜ Helin continues her conversation with an owner and her patient while exiting one of the rooms. Bending down, she can’t help but give the large, old golden retriever a few good scratches behind the ears and gives the canine a cookie she’s been saving in her coat pocket. ❛ House calls are always an option as well if George gets to stubborn for the car ride for his next appointment. ❜ Returning to her full height, Helin shakes the older gentleman’s hand and bids both of them a goodnight. 

❛ Samuel? ─ Hi there, ❜ She says, surprised to be seeing him here in the lobby, yet she smiles anyway, seemingly unable to take her eyes away from his features. A fluttering sensation begins to fill her chest and Helin can’t decipher if it’s nerves or excitement from this current situation. Both, maybe? Either way, whatever she was feeling, caused Helin to not be able to focus or even remember what she was about to say before coming out here. That is until the receptionist gives a small cough, reminding her that there’s still one other person in the room. ❛  ─ Oh, right. Robin, you can head out. You did great, juggling cancellations and emergencies. Sleep in tomorrow, come in late. ❜ The lobby becomes quiet while Helin waits for Robin to pack up her items. Dark hues flicker to Sam a few times during the silence, and she’s unable to keep her awkward smile at bay while doing so. After a few short moments, Robin is exiting the clinic, leaving Sam and Helin alone.

❛ ─ Hi. Again. ❜

—

He had convinced himself, on his walk to Paw’s, that there really wasn’t any particular reason for his friendly visit. But as Helin stepped into view, he suddenly became very much aware of how long it had been since he had seen her last. A smile of his own tugged his lips upwards as she realized he was there. Something about getting to see the veterinarian seemed to already have made his day better. And whether he was willing, just yet, to look further into why seeing Helin had that kind of effect on him, he didn’t mind acknowledging the fact that getting to see her made him happy. 

Nodding his head at the receptionist as she left, he said a quick goodbye before turning his gaze back to Helin. “Hi.” he finally replied. “I hope this is ok, just showing up like this.” Extending his hand towards the clinic, he looked around for a second before his eyes found hers again. It had been awhile- well actually, he’d never been in Paw’s before. 

Adele wanted to be the kind of person who didn’t keep driving past the gas station, with the tank nearly on ‘e,’ as she headed home in the evenings, promising herself to get gas in the morning. But, well, she was. The promise of catching up on the current season of The Bachelor, curling up in comfortable pajamas, and probably having a little bit too much ice cream, was all too alluring to even consider stopping on the way home. 

And now, thanks to a malfunctioning gas pump, all the brunette could think about was turning around and going right back home. Her shoes were completely soaked in gasoline that had splashed from the unlocked nozzle, when she’d tried to replace it back in the machine. 

Staring wide-eyed at the stranger at the pump beside hers, Adele issued a curt query. “Be honest… do you think I should go home and change my shoes, or can I get away with these for  a… 12 hour shift?”

—

Sam hadn’t noticed right away who was at the pump next to him, for he was so engrossed in reading the latest news article about the dead body that had been found. If he were being honest, he would have to admit that he was becoming increasingly worried with each passing day that the cops didn’t even have a suspect for the killing. It wasn’t until said pump-neighbor spoke that Sam was snapped out of his concentration. Glancing over and seeing none other than Adele Hawthorne, a smile came to his lips immediately. Only to be quickly replaced with a frown when he realized what had happened to her. “Oh dear, well...” he walked over to her, bending down a bit so that he could catch a whiff of her shoes. He winced as he stood back up, “I think you’re gunna need a change of shoes. Although, if you were looking to help your patients pass out a little, this might just do the trick.” Offering her a sympathetic smile, he shook his head. “It’s just one of those days, huh?” 

« ❀ starter for @samuelbrennan​ »

       All in all, Cam decided that Samuel Brennan wasn’t as bad as she’d initially thought, given that her friendship lay with Jamie and all. But, he’d eased her daughters pain, and subsequently her own, so he deserved nothing if not the utmost gratitude from Camila. She’d spent about fifteen minutes in the waiting area, having been given direction from the admin staff that Sam would be going down quite soon. Thankfully she’d asked for an extra hot coffee.. glancing around the hospital, it wasn’t until she spotted him that she jumped up with excitement, near spilling the coffees in her hands and simultaneously almost dropping the bag of donuts she’d so carefully selected for him. “Hey, Sam! Uh—Doctor Brennan. Sorry.. I just wanted to say thanks, for the other night. For looking after my little girl.” Offering him the most sincerest of smiles, she remembers what else she had to share with him. “Oh! So I got you coffee.. I hope you like coffee? And a bag of donuts.. but now that feels really stupid given that you’re a doctor and this is a hospital and you’re probably all about being healthy right? Either way, um.. these are for you.” 

—

Having just finished up his rounds, Sam was preparing to head home to an empty house since Kennedy was with Jamie, when Cam caught his attention. A friendly smile immediately came to his face, albeit a bit of a uncertain one. Was Sage back in the hospital? “Sam, please.” he corrected as he approached, but his confusion quickly turned to pleasant surprise as she explained why she was here and what she had brought him. It was all beyond unnecessary, but he was touched nonetheless. “Wow, Cam, you really didn’t need to do all this.” he said, as he surveyed the gifts she had brought. “And are you kidding me?? It’s practically a rule that all doctors forget everything they learned in med school when it comes to their diet.” As he finished speaking, he sent her a friendly wink. He considered the prospect of heading home for a moment before turning to face her squarely. “Although, if I take these home with me right now, there’s a pretty good chance they’ll all be gone by tomorrow morning. What do you say, do you wanna head to the cafeteria and we can split the goods? Save me from a cavity or two?”

Okay, so maybe he had had a drink or two too many while chatting with Jesse at Moonie’s. And maybe he was beginning to feel the effects of that one or two too many drinks. But as he headed to Helin’s clinic with no warning, no heads up that he was stopping by whatsoever, he was pretty convinced it was a good idea. After all, they were both doctors, right? Although, what that had to do with him dropping by unannounced for a social visit remained to be seen. He hadn’t seen her in a few days, and after their last text conversation, he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, she would be as excited to see him as the prospect of seeing her made him. 

As he stepped into the clinic, he greeted the receptionist with a more confident smile than he probably deserved to have. “Hi, umm… is Dr. Solak busy?”

Helin: [ ... Is typing ]

Helin: [ ... Is typing ]

Helin: I'll be sure to make it home safe, then.

Helin: Oh, please. I think you need to start giving yourself a little bit more credit. Have you seen the stars in her eyes when she looks at you? Adorable!

Helin: One of my cows gave birth to a calf a few weeks backs. I figured the Saturday two weeks from now would be the perfect time to introduce Kennedy and her new best friend.

Sam: I would appreciate it ;)

Sam: You sure you're not talking about me when I look at her? lol

Sam: Honestly, you think she's ever going to have eyes for anyone but you after that??

Helin: Don't worry about me, I'm sure you've got enough on your plate as it is. Again, I'm not alone, so there's a 50/50 chance I'll make it out alive.

Helin: Afraid you'll be bored without me?

Sam: 50/50, huh? Well I'm hoping for the good 50 lol

Sam: Terrified, actually. I mean, besides the fact that I would loose all cool points with my daughter if you were no longer around, what reason would I have to leave the hospital... ever?

Helin: Well ... We were heading home. And the last thing/place we recognized was probably the shopping plaza we spent most of the day at. Whoops.

Helin: I knew we shouldn't have taken a detour. Is this what happens when I try to be fun and spontaneous?

Helin: Anyway, take the Saturday two weeks from now off. I have a surprise for Kenny. :)

Sam: 🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

Sam: You are not instilling a lot of confidence in me in your ability to get yourself back here in one piece, Helin...

Helin: I don't think so. I'm not alone, at least. I have a friend with me. It's just rather unfortunate that we're both directionally challenged.

Sam: Glad you're not alone, that's good!

Helin: Have you ever been lost before?

Helin: And, for once, I don't mean this in any sort of philosophical way; I mean in the literal way of not knowing where the HECK you are...

Sam: Oh dear.

       While the mother in Jamie could appreciate their concern, the independent adult in her did not. Especially coming from none other than her ex husband. Shooting Jesse a quick death glare, the blonde soon turned her attention back toward Sam, who was still seated beside her. Although she, like others, had heard the recent news, Jamie’s pride was far too big to admit that she had been worrying about their daughter’s safety just hours before. Not to mention the fact that the amount of alcohol in her bloodstream was currently clouding her mind with a false sense of security. 

         “Yeah, so?” Annoyed by his line of questioning, Jamie slid down from the bar stool and onto wobbly legs. While she had convinced herself that some fresh air would help her sober up, getting there was going to be the real challenge. Grabbing onto Sam’s arm, she steadied herself for a moment before taking a few steps toward the door. She had to get out of here. She had to get home.

—

With a skeptical look, he watched as she slid off the bar stool. Sam could recognize Jamie’s stubborn streak coming out and he rolled his eyes a bit in jest at Jesse, letting out a soft chuckle just before Jamie grabbed his arm. Instinctively, he was on his feet and moving to catch up with her. In a step or two, he reached out and reached out to gently place his hand on her forearm. “Jamie, just let me take you home?” he offered, a smile on his features, but a pleading tone to his voice. He didn’t want to argue with her all night. It was only after a moment or two that he realized what he might have been insinuating. He’d meant the home that they had bought together, the home Kennedy was born in. But he knew she wouldn’t consider it her home anymore. He glanced down at his feet for a second. “You can crash at my place so you don’t wake up Kennedy or your mom.” he offered as a clarification after a beat. 

       Camila actually smiled when she saw excitement colour Sage’s features — a great thing given she’d been pale for a little while now. It made her feel relieved knowing that Sage was in good hands. “That’s all you needed to say,” she jokingly rolled her eyes, evidently much more at ease than she was five minutes prior. Time seemed ot be going at a snail’s pace the last few hours, and she was just so thankful that Sage could be seen to. After lifting her up gently up onto the hospital bed, she runs her hand affectionately through her daughters hair, smiling fondly as sage sparks up a conversation with the nurse. Glancing back over at Sam, she really didn’t want to distract him but.. she couldn’t help it. “Thank you,” she says quietly as she approaches him, managing to offer Sam a warm, appreciative smile. “I know this isn’t your job and we’re holding you back from going home. So just—please know how grateful I am.” 

—

He smiled at Cam before filling in a few things on the hospital’s ipad before handing it over to the nurse. “Sugar’s about the only thing you can bribe me with, so I figured it was worth a shot.” he admitted with a bit of a chuckle. He moved to take a step closer, “Don’t mention it, Cam.” Pausing, he reached out and gave her arm a reassuring squeeze, “Us parents have to stick together and all that, right?” While Sam at least still had Jamie around to share the burden of parenting with, he knew how terrifying the prospect of your child being injured was. Even as a doctor, the thought alone scared the crap out of him. If there was anything he could do to help lighten that feeling for Cam in this moment he definitely would. “Besides, I think it would be a good idea to keep Sage here overnight. Simply for observation. We just don’t want to run the risk of there being an undetected concussion or anything like that with that kind of a fall.” 

        Watching in amusement, Travis couldn’t help but release a breathy chuckle in response to Sam’s ‘lucky’ throw. While it definitely wasn’t anything significant, the man could at least be proud that he had managed to hit something this time around. “Look at the bright side, Sammy. At least your ball stayed in the lane this time. Maybe you’re improving. We’ll get you whipped into shape in no time.”

        Standing up from his seat, the man reached for his ball, this time pausing to answer Sam’s question before he played. “School is going fairly well. It’s just a lot of pressure sometimes, you know? The Principal makes his expectations clear, but it falls on me to execute those wishes more often than not. I love the people I work with, but I do miss teaching at times. It was rewarding in an entirely different way.” Lowering his hand, Travis turned toward the lane and swung back his arm, knocking down seven of the ten pins on his first go. 

—

“I’m pretty sure that was purely luck.” He couldn’t help but laugh at himself. Now that he thought about it, he honestly couldn’t remember the last time he had actually gone bowling. To be fair though, when he really thought about it, he couldn’t remember the last time he made time for a guy’s night like this in general. Work had taken up all this time for years now. And while he was proud of himself for making the time for tonight, he knew how much work he still had to put in in order to not prioritize his job so much.

As he listened to Travis’s reply, he nodded his head in understanding. “Do you feel like the principal appreciates all the work you put in to make it all happen?” He paused for a second to think about how he should word the next question, eventually deciding to just go for it. “And do you ever wish you could go back to just teaching?” Sam wasn’t trying to insinuate anything one way or the other, he simply wanted to make sure his his best friend was happy.