Journey- A Chicago Med Fanifc Sequel!

Chapter 2

I leave the treatment room after treating my first patient since coming back to Chicago. It feels amazing to be back here, after all of this time, treating patients once again.

I see Connor over the other side of the ED, talking to Maggie. I know that I have to talk to him, to get everything sorted out. We have so much history, and it means a lot to me. 

"Connor," I say, walking over to him. As soon as Maggie sees me, she raises her eyebrows, smiling. I smile back at both of them.

"Hey," he says. "How's your first day going? Is it just how you remembered it?" he asks me, smiling. 

"It's great," I say, truthfully. I pause, thinking for a moment. "Hey, Connor," I suggest. "Why don't you and I get a coffee? I hear that the cafe had a massive refurbishment and I would love to check it out." 

"Okay," Connor says, nodding. "Yeah, I could go for some coffee right about now. Let's go." 

We leave the ED together and walk to the cafe. It has definitely been refurbished, but the chairs and tables are still in the same places. Through force of habit, I go to sit at the table that Connor and I used to always sit at back when we were dating.

He doesn't say anything about it, and just sits opposite me. Maybe he's forgotten about it. He and Ava probably have new seats now, in a completely different place. 

"So," Connor says. "Tell me everything. How was New York? Did you see your family, and mend things with your sister?" 

"Yeah," I say. "She was happy to hear that we'd ended things. I don't know why, honestly. Still, we seem to be in a good place." 

"That's great," Connor tells me, smiling. "It sounds like you had a great time there. I'm really happy for you, Tessa." 

"Thanks," I say, looking into his eyes. I have really missed those eyes. "So," I say to him, finally. "You and Ava? How did that happen?"

"Long story," he says, sighing. "Look, I swear it was months after you left. It happened slowly, you know? She stayed at my apartment for a few nights, and we got closer, and now here we are. She's living with me, and we're dating. Everything's out in the open." 

"Wow," I say, trying to sound positive. "That's really good. I'm so glad that you both found each other. You look great together." Everything I say is falling flat, but I hope that Connor doesn't notice. 

"Do you mind it?" Connor asks me, tilting his head. "Seriously, tell me. Do you mind that Ava and I are dating?" 

"No," I say, surprised. "Of course not! I don't mind at all. We're not together anymore, so of course we can both move on. I told you that I had someone in New York, didn't I?" 

Again, the same lie. I never had anyone in New York. It always had been and always will be Connor. 

"Yeah," he says. "Yeah, no, you did say that. Sorry, I just couldn't tell, that's all. You know, I still care about how you feel."

"You do?" I ask him. I realise that my voice might have sounded too hopeful. I'm not hopeful. He's with Ava now, and that's all there is to it. I need to stop hoping for everything to return to normal, because I know that it won't. 

"I do," he says. "Look, I know that we ended things, but I meant what I told you then. I will always be there for you." 

"I'm sorry for ending things like that," I say. "I really wanted to call you when I was in New York and apologise. I wanted to say how sorry I was for leaving you for a better job that didn't even work out." 

"Don't be," he says. "I ended things with you, too. I was the one who told you to go. You don't have to apologise to me." 

"I wanted to tell you this, too," I say, suddenly, feeling a boost of confidence. I had been debating whether to bring this up or not. "I've actually been wanting to say something about it for a while, but I wasn't sure if I should." 

"What is it?" Connor asks me. "Whatever it is, you should say it." 

"I saw the ring-box," I sigh. "In your hand, I saw it. That was the thing that you wanted to ask me, wasn't it? You were going to ask me to marry you." 

Connor sighs. "Wow," he says, exhaling. "I wasn't expecting you to say that. I didn't even know that you saw it. Okay, if we're being honest then yes, yes, I was going to propose to you, but obviously it didn't work out that way, and I'm okay with that. We're both still happy and we're both still friends, right?" 

"Yes," I say, too quickly. "Friends, yes. We are." 

"Don't feel bad because of the ring box," he says, gently. "I know you, Tessa and I know when you're feeling guilty about something. Don't worry about it. Some things don't work out how you want them to, and that's okay." 

"I wanted to say yes," I tell him. "I really did, Connor. I wanted to turn around, run back and say yes. Except, you know...I didn't." 

That might be the biggest regret of my life, but I don't tell him that. 

"Wow," Connor says, sighing. "I see. Well, I guess that fate had other things in mind, didn't it? We're both happy, and we're both okay, so I would say that it all turned out fine." 

"You're right," I say, trying to change the subject. "Tell me about Will and Natalie. I imagine that they've broken up and got back together so many times, right?"

Connor nods. "Oh, you have no idea," he says, laughing. As he begins to give me the detailed explanation of their relationship, I think. 

I should not have let this man go.