Chapter Text
It was a terrible day.
Even after four years of working as a nurse at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the days when you lost a patient still always broke your heart. Always.
You were a few weeks into your rotation in the Newborn/Infant Intensive Care Unit when you met Bailey and Patrick Keaton. They were first time parents and their daughter, Ellie, was born a few months premature with a severe Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. The doctors, nurse practitioners, and surgeons on her team knew that her chances of survival were low from the start, but Ellie’s resilience continued to surprise everyone.
You bonded with the parents within the first forty-eight hours of caring for their daughter and they quickly asked you to be her primary nurse. And of course, you happily agreed and looked forward to being a source of comfort to them during Ellie’s stay in the NICU.
You spent eight weeks by her side. You got to know Bailey and Patrick better, you read Ellie stories throughout the day, and you took care of every diaper change and feeding session. You even sang her to sleep when her parents had to leave the hospital for the night.
And even though you knew it was a stupid thing to do, you got attached.
Unfortunately, Ellie developed an infection a few days ago and her little body just wasn’t strong enough to fight it. She passed away earlier today. And all you could do was stand there and hold that sweet little girl in your arms while her parents fell to their knees and sobbed.
As soon as your shift ended, all you wanted to do was go home and let yourself fall apart. But Mary, your friend and fellow nurse, knew better than to let you fold in on yourself in your current state.
“Come on, Y/N! You can’t go home. Not like this! Look, I know how hard it is. Believe me, my NICU rotation gave me plenty to cry about in therapy. But we all go through it. It sucks, but… it’s just part of the job. Don’t go home. It’s Halloween! Let’s go get hammered at Ruby’s and then laugh at all the stupid costumes. I’ll pay for your Lyft later. Deal?” Mary said with a bright grin as she shoved her stethoscope in her locker.
“Ugh. Fine! But you’re buying” you replied as you wiped the tears at the corners of your eyes.
It was crowded when you arrived, but thankfully Mary was able to snag one of the last tables.
“Here, take my card and grab us a few beers. I’m gonna call Matt to let him know we’re here. You want me to call Bri while I’m at it? Hate sex might help you feel better” Mary said with a playful wink. Brianna was your ex-girlfriend. And you broke up with her a few months ago when you walked in on her in your bed with another woman.
“Fuck off, Mary” you replied as you rolled your eyes and snatched her credit card.
You made your way over to the bar and ordered two beers. You looked across the crowd while you waited for your drinks, and you couldn’t help but smile at the effort everyone had put into their costumes. The music was loud, and everyone seemed tipsy and happy. And even though you hated to admit it, Mary was right. You deserved a night out after what you went through. You needed to turn your brain off for a little while. You wanted to drink and dance and flirt and let some of the heaviness of the day fall away.
“Here you go, Y/N” the bartender said with a sweet smile as she handed you the drinks. Her name was Kelly, and by now she knew that you, Mary, and a few of your co-workers were regulars here at Ruby’s. You had barely turned to walk back to your table when a loud, abrasive voice to your left surprised you.
“Oh, boo! Are we still doin’ nurses costumes? C’mon! That’s not even a sexy one” you heard some random woman in a hamster costume shout at you. And you immediately put your drink down on the table and then turned around to flick her off.
“Melissa, I think that person is an actual nurse” the feline next to her said loud enough for you to hear.
“I said what I said” the woman you now knew as Melissa replied, doubling down on her original insult.
“Did you hear that?” you asked Mary in disbelief as you handed her a beer and sat down.
“Hmm?” Mary replied without even bothering to look up from her phone.
“That… rodent over there just booed at me! She said she didn’t like my ‘costume’ and that I didn’t even try to be a sexy nurse” you replied indignantly.
“…So?” Mary said as she took a sip of her beer.
“I… it’s… it’s not a fucking costume, Mary! That woman has no idea what I went through today! I came here to drink and relax and to keep myself from falling apart. And now I have to deal with this kind of bullshit?” you said, shocked that your friend wasn’t as outraged as you were.
“Y/N… it’s Halloween, babe. She’s probably drunk off her ass anyway. Why do you care what she thinks about your damn scrubs?” Mary asked. Then she waved over toward the door so her boyfriend, Matt, could join the two of you at your table.
“I don’t care if she’s drunk! It was rude. And insensitive” you said firmly as you took a huge sip of your drink and then glared back toward the woman at the bar.
“Yeah, well… maybe drink a few more of those and then you won’t care anymore” Mary said with a shrug as she and Matt embraced and then immediately changed the subject.
Two hours and four beers later… you were still pissed.
You watched Melissa and her friends throughout most of the night. And seeing what a good time they were having drinking and talking and laughing together while Mary and Matt groped each other across the table from you made you even more frustrated.
You saw her stand up at one point to head for the bar. And you decided the only way you were going to move on and find some way to enjoy the rest of your evening would be to finally give this woman a piece of your mind. You walked up behind her, tapped her lightly on the shoulder, and tried not to chicken out before she turned around to face you.
“Yeah?” she said smugly when she saw it was you.
“I didn’t really appreciate your comment about my outfit earlier” you said firmly as you glared into her bright green eyes.
“Oh? Is that so?” Melissa replied as she crossed her arms and looked you over.
“Yes! It is so! I’m a nurse over at the Children’s hospital. It’s not a damn costume. I had a horrible fucking day today. I lost a two-month-old patient after she fought so hard and… her parents were completely distraught… and I… I came out tonight to have a good time and you completely ruined any chance of that with your rude, smart-ass comment” you yelled as you wiped the tears from your cheeks.
Melissa stared back at you with a shocked and apologetic look on her face.
But it was too late for that now.
“And where the hell do you get off telling anyone else their costume isn’t ‘sexy’? What the hell are you supposed to be? Some kind of hamster? Go fuck yourself, lady” you shouted as you slammed your empty glass down onto the counter, flicked her off again, and then turned to leave the bar.
It was a terrible day.
And now, it had been a terrible night, too.
A week later you went to Ruby’s for a drink after your shift. It had been a quiet day at the hospital, and you were looking forward to drinking a few beers, watching the football game, and making casual conversation with Kelly if things weren’t too busy.
You took a sip of your drink and then looked up at the TV screen on your left to see how the Eagles were doing against the Panthers. And when you turned back to ask Kelly how she thought the birds were holding up this season, you saw that a beautiful woman with bright red hair had sat down on the stool next to yours.
“Oh! H… hey” you said with a shy smile. You had never seen her at Ruby’s before and figured it would be polite to greet her since she sat down right next to you; even though there were plenty of seats available throughout the bar.
“Hey! Ya here to watch the game, hon?” she asked sweetly as she raised her hand gently to get Kelly’s attention.
“Yeah, I am! Go Birds” you said as you raised your glass and then promptly finished your last sip of beer.
“Damn right, hon! Can I get ya another one?” the woman asked with a hopeful smile. And suddenly you felt butterflies in your stomach.
“Uh… sure! Thanks” you replied nervously as you felt a slight blush rise to your cheeks.
“What can I get you?” Kelly asked as she greeted the redhead.
“Can I get another beer for my neighbor here, please? And I think I’ll have a… hmm… how bout a margarita” the woman replied. Kelly nodded, smiled, and then quickly got to work on your drinks.
“You didn’t have to do that” you said to the attractive stranger at your side.
“Yeah, well… I saw your scrubs and figured it was the least I could do! I know how hard you all work. Especially since COVID. Figured I’d show my appreciation” the woman replied. And the sweet gesture paired with her kind words made you blush again.
“Th… thanks. That’s really nice of you! I’m Y/N, by the way” you said as you reached over to shake her hand.
“Call me Mel, hon” the woman replied as she shook your hand and smiled brightly.
The two of you sat close as you watched the game together. Mel was an energetic and animated spectator. She cheered loudly whenever the Eagles made a big play or scored a touchdown. And she was sure to share an impressive string of expletives any time she disagreed with one of the referees. You weren’t sure what you were enjoying more, watching the game itself or seeing her hilarious reactions.
By halftime, you both had several more drinks and had even shared a few appetizers. Mel was funny, charismatic, and sweet. She seemed genuinely interested in getting to know you and asked a bunch of questions about your job, your family, and your hobbies. Meanwhile, you discovered that she was a second-grade teacher at an elementary school nearby and you learned that she grew up in South Philly with her large Italian family. And she even told you how much she loved to cook for people and knit in her spare time.
“I bet your students adore you! You’re a lot of fun, Mel” you said with a grin as you took another sip of your beer and then reached for a mozzarella stick.
“Yeah? Ya think so? Thanks, hon! I’m sure the kiddos at the hospital feel the same way about you. You’re a sweetheart” Mel replied as she winked at you and then gently nudged you with her shoulder. And the flirtatious exchange excited you more than you wanted to admit.
You watched the rest of the game together and Melissa bought a round of shots for the entire bar when the Eagles came out on top, defeating the Panthers 28 to 21.
“Cheers, hon” Mel said with a huge grin on her face as she handed you the shot glass and raised her own.
“Cheers” you replied as you raised your glass to meet hers. And you were completely mesmerized by her bright green eyes as you watched her drink.
“Mind if I walk ya to your car, hon?” Mel asked as she stealthily paid your tab and her own.
“Yeah. I’d like that” you said as the warmth from the tequila made its way through your body.
During the short walk to your car, Mel told you about one of her students who used to stick macaroni noodles up her nose and called herself Queen Macaroni & Sneeze.
“Oh my God! Ew! How do you not just burst out laughing when they do things like that?” you asked as you attempted to stifle your own laughter.
“It’s not easy, I’m tellin’ ya! Next time I’ll have to tell ya about the stunt the kids pulled on Halloween a few years ago” Mel chuckled.
“Next time, huh?” you asked as you stared back at her and bit your lip.
“I… uh… I mean, yeah. Yes? I know I’d definitely like to see ya again. Is that somethin’ you’d be up for?” Mel asked, suddenly seeming so unsure of herself. And for some reason, seeing this shy side of her made you want her even more. You reached over, slid your hand behind her neck, and pulled her into a slow, sensual kiss. Her lips were soft, warm, and inviting. And when you felt her kiss you back, you felt dizzy with excitement. This wasn’t the sort of thing you normally did. Maybe the tequila made you bold. Or maybe there was just something about this woman that you couldn’t resist.
The kiss escalated quickly and Mel pinned you against your car as her tongue slid into your mouth and the two of you moaned quietly in unison. Your hands travelled slowly up her sides and your thumbs caressed the sides of her breasts through her leather jacket. And her body shivered in response.
“W… wait. Wait. I’m sorry, I can’t…” Mel said as she abruptly pulled away and gently slid her thumb across her bottom lip.
“Oh, I… I’m so sorry! Was that too much? Fuck… I should have asked first. I don’t typically do this kind of thing. I’m not sure what came over me. Are you… okay?” you asked, completely overwhelmed by embarrassment and shame. How could you have been so stupid?
“No, hon. It’s not that. It’s just… I gotta be honest with you about somethin’ first” Mel said as she stared back at you with a sad look in her eyes.
“What is it, Mel?” you asked, concerned by how serious she seemed.
“It’s… I… I’m… my name’s Melissa. And we’ve met before… here… on Halloween…” Melissa said sheepishly as she looked at you. And you quickly realized why those gorgeous green eyes of hers seemed so familiar.
“Wait. Wh… what? You’re that fucking hamster?” you asked in disbelief.
“Well, I was a guinea pig, actually. It’s a funny story, really! My friend Janine got the school district to give each classroom a pet! We got this adorable little guinea pig, and the kids named him Sweet Cheeks and…” Melissa started to say before she saw the look on your face and must have realized that you did not give a shit about what kind of rodent she was that night or what was going on in the classrooms at Abbott Elementary.
“So, what are you stalking me now or something?” you asked as you reached into your purse and tried to find your car keys.
“What? No! I just… I felt really shitty about what I said that night. I asked Kelly if you were a regular because I wanted the chance to apologize once I was sober. She told me she’d seen ya here watchin’ the Eagles play every now and then. So, I came tonight hopin’ I’d see ya. I’m not a creep or anythin’. I swear! I just wanted to tell ya how sorry I am for makin' that night harder for ya. I… I was an asshole. And I shoulda kept my big mouth shut. Sorry, hon. I'm real sorry” Melissa said apologetically as she took a small step toward you.
You stood there for a moment and tried to process your thoughts. A week ago, this woman had insulted you after one of the worst days you ever had in your career. And you spent the entire night being pissed at her. Now here the two of you were making out in the parking lot after one of the best nights you had in a long time. You couldn’t figure out how the whole thing made you feel.
“Let me get this straight. You felt so bad about the shit you said on Halloween that you came out tonight just to apologize to me?” you asked, still trying to wrap your head around it all.
“Y… yeah, hon” Melissa replied.
“Okay. So, flirting with me all night… asking to see me again… kissing me back just now… what’s all that about? Guilt? Penance? Pity? Because if it is, then look, lady... I don’t need…” you started to say before Melissa’s lips silenced you with another deep, sensual kiss.
“Mm” you moaned quietly against her mouth as your body relaxed and you leaned back against your car again. Her tongue teased your lips and then explored your tongue eagerly. And you were surprised by how good it felt and by how much you wanted this… and more.
“It’s not guilt. Or pity. Or any of that! I planned to buy ya a drink, say sorry for bein’ an ass, and then be on my way. I wasn’t expectin’… this…” Melissa replied as she studied your face thoughtfully. And hearing that she was just as pleasantly surprised by the instant connection and undeniable chemistry the two of you shared put your mind at ease.
“Well, then I guess… I accept your apology. But I have two conditions” you said with a playful smile as you tugged on the collar of Melissa’s jacket.
“Oh, yeah? Lay ‘em on me” Melissa said, clearly excited to be teased by you.
“First, I’d like you to stop by the hospital sometime soon to volunteer to read a book to the kids” you said with a smile. Knowing she was a teacher now, you were sure she’d do an amazing job reading to the children.
“Done! What else, hon?” Melissa replied with a grin as she leaned in and placed a soft kiss against your cheek.
“I’d like you to take me out. On a real date this time! Not some top-secret guinea pig redemption mission” you laughed as you brushed a bright red curl behind her ear.
“Deal! Ya like Italian, hon?” Melissa asked with a smirk.
“I do, actually. Especially the beautiful one standing in front of me” you joked.
“Smooth” Melissa said as she shook her head and laughed.
“See you soon, Sweet Cheeks?” you asked hopefully.
“Yeah, hon. See ya soon” Melissa said as she pressed one last warm kiss against your lips.
It was a wonderful night.