A/N: I feel so much excitement and adoration for Dr. Ethan Ramsey. We don’t know much about him but I’ve created my own HC around his background (already lol.) Any details about his past in this fic is original content I conceived. The song used briefly in this fic is “These Arms of Mine” by Otis Redding.
Italicized and bold:song lyrics
Italicized: internal thoughts
Summary: Dr. Ethan Ramsay takes time to reevaluate the newest intern that’s captured his attention in more ways than one, whether he wants to admit it or not.
In the mischievous hours of the night Dr. Ethan Ramsey sits alone in the now barren Donahue’s nursing another drink. The place once buzzing with noise is now near sheer silence except the gentle music playing from the jukebox. The last crop of stragglers, only a few with slurring speeches make their exit. Hearing the soft thud of the door shutting he let out a mild grunt and raises his near empty glass towards the bartender.
“Last one, buddy. My knees are screaming and any minute longer I’ll be visiting you at your job versus you visiting mine.”
Reggie says as he refills the glass and then grabs a rag to clean.
“Now we can’t be having that now.” Ethan replies before taking a small gulp.
Suspicious at such warm words from the man Reggie stops wiping down the counter to look at Ethan.
“Hmm, that’s strangely kind of you-”
Before Reggie can finish his sentence Ethan cuts him off all the while looking into his diminishing drink
“Because then who will serve me drinks at my beck and call?”
His eyes shine with mirth as looks at Reggie while he takes another sip.
“You almost had me there. You’re a cheeky bastard, you know that? I should throw your ass out for that.” Reggie says while shaking his head amused.
“But you won’t because you’re too good. That’s exactly why the likes of myself don’t deserve you as friend Reg.”
“Heh, damn right. I only keep you around because you tip well.”
Ethan chuckles at the man in front of him.
“Never change, Reggie.”
“Wasn’t planning to buddy.”
The two men finish laughing when the shoosh of the door opens and a young African-American woman enters while calling over her shoulder before the door closes.
“I’m going to use the restroom and wait inside until the Lyft comes. Night everyone!”
Recognizing the voice speaking Ethan turns and sees Dr. Katrina Michaels. As she moves from the entrance and towards the back right of the bar to the restrooms his gaze follows and he retreats to his mind briefly.
“I haven’t quite figured out why but there’s something about the rookie that intrigues me.”
Reggie notices his friend is watching the woman from earlier and can already gather what could be the reason why. Being the good friend that he is Reggie decides to give his old pal a nudge in the right direction. So he taps Ethan on the shoulder to get his attention.
“Welp, I gotta clean up in the back. Keep an eye on the place for me. Especially the little lady, I’m leaving both in your capable hands.”
Ethan quirks an eyebrow at Reggie as he takes another swig and asks
“What are you getting at Reg?”
Reggie smirks to himself and shrugs his shoulders before he turns to leave Ethan alone and enters a side door near the shelves of alcohol. Ethan scoffs and continues to drink his glass of scotch enjoying the the burning sensations that slide down his throat. His thoughts lingers to earlier in the night when talking to Katrina.
“She definitely is different in the real world but on the hand not so much. I don’t quite understand why this intern is different from the others. Other than proving herself capable so far but outside EdenBrook I notice that my thoughts have dawdle on her more trivial attributes. Such as her underlying fierceness or perhaps her vivaciousness. Well I suppose I can’t say I truly recognized these qualities more so I overlooked them, one such as her beauty. She truly is stunning. It makes me wonder why a woman like her spent time near me when the place was swarming with younger men. Especially asking if someone was waiting at home for me. It can’t be what I think… no I probably need to ease off the alcohol right now. Besides who would wait around for me anyway? Edie surely doesn’t anymore.”
As he sets his glass down back on the counter he hears a soft voice calling his name which removes him from his thoughts. Without turning around he says
“Hello again, rookie.”
“I’m surprised to see you still here Dr. Ramsey.” Katrina Michaels murmurs.
He turns to face the intern and replies
“I’m surprising in a lot of ways.”
She smiles and delicately places herself onto the stool that’s next to Ethan.
“You’ll have to prove that you know.”
Despite himself he smirks at her. His gunmetal blue eyes piercing into Katrina’s hazel ones. Their gazes seem to challenge yet captivate the other. There’s a comfortable yet tense air between the two until the smooth vocals of Otis Redding play from the jukebox.
“These arms of mine, they are lonely. Lonely and feeling blue. These arms of mine are yearning, yearning from wanting you…”
The song continues to play as Katrina speaks.
“You know he’s is one of my favorite artist. I used to…”
As she speaks Ethan watches the woman in front of him. He observes the way her eyes are lit up to how a rogue strand of her curly hair hangs, and even how in the dimly lit bar her smile radiates and contrasts with her beautiful coffee-hue complexion. He tries to listen to all she’s saying, now beginning to tell him about much of a fan she is. But he’s beginning to distract himself with his thoughts once more.
“Of course this song plays. Very convenient timing, I’d say. I bet Reggie had something to do with this. It’s been so long since I had someone. At this point other people would take anyone. But I could never at my stage in life. That’s why I’m here at almost one in the morning. I wonder why she’s here too, besides being young.”
Ethan breaks away from his mind to refocus back onto Katrina whose finishing up a compliment about his research.
“Katrina, may I ask you a question?”
“Of course, Dr. Ramsey.”
“First, outside of EdenBrook you may call me, Ethan.”
Katrina runs her hand through her hair before replying
“Are you sure, Dr. Ramsey?”
He rolls his eyes briefly before turning to look at his glass to take another sip of his scotch.
“Yes, rookie. You referring to me as doctor outside of the hospital makes me look a bit pretentious.”
“I think that’s your own doing, Dr. Ramsey.”
He pauses lifting his glass to meet his mouth in midair and turns to glare at her but it falters once he hears the bubbling of laughter escape her plump lips. He goes back to take a swig and places his glass back down gently.
“Sorry. I couldn’t pass that up…Ethan.”
“Now, was that really that difficult?”
“Not exactly, but it’s a bit strange. To be on first name basis with your idol.”
“I’m just a man, rookie. Not a celebrity or some god.”
Katrina turns her face away from Ethan and averts her eyes from his as she whispers
“Maybe, but you sure do have god-like looks.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t make out what you said?” curious of what she said.
“It’s not important. But you wanted to ask me something?”
“Yes I do. I happen to be thinking of what you asked me earlier in the night and wondered the same.”
“Is that so? Is there a reason why you liked to know?”
Her tone so playful with a hint of flirtation that he couldn’t decipher if he imagined it or not.
Instead of speaking he shrugs his shoulders in response.
Smiling to herself and looking down before meeting his eyes again.
“I’m just like you. No one awaiting my return.”
“Interesting.”
The fading music is more audible as the two stop speaking momentarily
“…I need somebody. Somebody to treat me right, oh. I need your arms. Loving arms to hold me tight. And I, I, I need your, I need your tender lips to hold me.”
A chime from Katrina’s cell phone breaks the silence before either one of them could.
“That’s my Lyft. It’s two minutes away so, I’m going to waiting outside.”
Ethan nods in understanding, she begins to remove herself from her seat, but still slightly tipsy she slips and falls into Ethan’s body who reacts immediately. He grasps firmly yet gently ahold of her, keeping her steady. Both freeze from the sudden contact and close parameters they are from the other.
Katrina can see Ethan’s adam’s apple bob up and down in his throat and he thinks to himself while staring at Katrina.
“I suddenly have the urge to gently brush the curls away from her beautiful eyes and...I need to stop this instant. It’s late and I am feeling a bit lonely but I’m beginning to enter a dangerous area. This would lead to an H.R. nightmare. I can’t let myself get tangled with the matters of the heart. Especially with my, ahem, the rookie. God, I need to lay off the sauce for a while. ”
He’s pulled from his thoughts when Katrina removes herself from his arms.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it, rookie.”
“Is that going to be a permanent thing? Even outside of work?”
“What?”
“Rookie. I mean you’ve called me by my first name earlier tonight even when I thought you didn’t even know it, much less remember it nor care to.”
“I’ve told you. I’m observant…rookie. Does that answer your question?” He says smirking at her.
Rolling her eyes she moves to make her way to the exit.
“Yes it does. And you deny that you’re favoring me.”
“I’ll let you believe what you want. Even if it’s a silly notion.”
“Whatever you say, Dr. Ramsey” she purrs.
Ethan feels his heart rate increase briefly. Before he can respond, she speaks up.
“My ride should be here now. I’ll see you around Dr. Rams- I mean Ethan.”
She rubs her hand obsessively through her hair before giving him a quick wave as she inches closer to the door.
“For whatever reason my name leaving her lips sounds right. As the same for hers. Katrina. Ka-tri-na. I’d like to say it more than just in my…Okay enough. I must stick with calling her rookie. That’s what’s…what’s safe.
Katrina opens the door which pulls Ethan out and he speaks for the final time
“Have a good night…Katrina. Get home safe.”
She stops at hearing her name being used and turns back around and grins wide at Ethan.
“You too.” she steps outside and calls back to Ethan.
“Maybe once I’ve graduated from rookie or you tire of it, you can call me Kat. Whichever comes first.”
Without another word or glance she walks out the door.
Ethan is left staring at the spot she was occupying before turning his attention back to his glass. He drains the rest of his drink and retreats into his thoughts.
“So much for playing it safe. Then again, what’s life without a few risks.”
