One Shots - Claire Browne and Neil Melendez

If You Love Her

Morgan & Claire friendship, y'all. Morgan watches out for Claire and tells Neil to get his shit together. 

Morgan was watching her friend and their superior from across the room. The music was rather loud, it was crowded, she was going to get them another round of drinks. She had regretted filing the favoritism complaint after she realized how much Neil meant to Claire. 

Despite her very clear intention at the beginning to not form a friendship with Claire, something had changed, and she enjoyed the other resident's company. Along with that came a certain amount of knowledge about what Claire had gone through. Throughout her whole life, really. She surely still missed a lot of pieces, but it was enough to make her protective of Claire when it came to Dr. Neil Melendez. 

They were close, and the way Claire's eyes gleamed at the way Neil couldn't help but smile at her constantly told her everything she needed to know. Now, she knew Claire a lot better than she knew Melendez, but it was clear that Claire cared deeply for him, but they really hadn't gone anywhere yet. She would have expected them to have shagged at this point. 

"Ready for more?" Morgan asked as she came back to the table with their drinks and handed them out. She was able to carry a surprising amount of beer. 

Everyone cheered, just on the line of where it's beginning to get real fun, but also where they began to wonder if they should head home soon. 

After two successful surgeries, the crew had headed out to get drinks. Well, one drink, they had told themselves. They were way beyond that. 

"I'm gonna head to the bathroom real quick, excuse me," Claire smiled and left. 

With Shaun talking to Alex outside and Lim playing dart with some people she didn't know, Morgan saw this as her shot. 

She cleared her throat, starring Melendez down, making him look at her quizically. 

"Let me make one thing clear, pal, okay?" She started, pointing her finger at him. 

"Pal?" He asked, unsure of what was to come next. 

"Look, Claire clearly cares about you a lot, and I don't know what this thing going on between you is-" She spoke. 

"Thing? Morgan, we've been thought this-" Neil cut her off, but she was not finished. 

"It's not about the favoritism complaint, and I regret that," She confessed honestly. 

He nodded, waiting for her to continue, nervous about where this was going. 

"But one thing I do know is that you don't get to break her heart," 

Neil didn't even know what to say. "It's not- I won't- it's not like that," he stuttered

"If it isn't like that, then let her go. The way you two are dancing around each other is weird. You're not together, but it also prevents you to seek relationships with other people," She spoke, confidently as usual. 

Neil opened his mouth but didn't even know what he was going to say. It didn't matter anyway, as Morgan apparently had all the words she needed. 

"If you decide this is something you want to pursue, you do it properly. You don't get to dance around with her just to leave her waiting there," She took in a breath before she continued. 

"Claire is probably the kindest person I know. No, she most definitely is, which is remarkable after everything she's been through." Neil took in her words and they circled in his mind. 

"If," She paused, earning his full-on attention, "If she gives you her heart, don't you dare break it. She is the best thing you'll ever have, and she deserves someone who will watch bad trash TV with her. Someone who will make her feel safe, someone who doesn't mind cooking for her - or with her -  because god knows she should not be left alone in a kitchen. Someone who will always be there for her," She paused, giving Neil a chance to take in what she had said. His eyes were fixated on the floor, so it was hard to see his expression. "And I think you could be that,"