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star-trekkin-across-theuniverse · 7 years

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Vital Signs, Pt9

Vital Signs Masterlist

Word Count: 2602 Tags: @to-pick-ourselves-up-7, @outside-the-government, @jimfromsales, @donnaintx (tags are open)

The day after my boards, SHIELD pulled me away for the surgery to my shoulder. I woke in the post-operative recovery room groggy and nauseated, but before I had a chance to say anything the nurse gave me something for the pain, and I drifted back to sleep. When I came to again, I thought someone was sitting beside me holding my hand, but I was too drowsy and drugged up to focus my gaze and figure out who it was. I chose instead to allow the pull of Morpheus to drag me back into unconsciousness.

“Good evening, Dr. Richmond. How are you feeling?” The nurse asked me the next time I opened my eyes. My shoulder was killing me.

“I’m having some pain.”

“I’ll give you some more morphine, and then we’re going to transfer you to the recovery unit.” She pushed the morphine through my IV, and I drifted off again. SHIELD’s surgical centre was amazing, I realized when I awoke the next morning. The nurses were quick to assess and manage pain, and shortly after breakfast, physio came in to start my exercises. I was up walking by late afternoon, and my pain was completely under control. I was looking forward to being discharged home. I returned to my room to rest after walking a few laps of the unit and saw flowers on my bedside table. I picked up the card to see who they were from, although I suspected I already knew.

Out of town for a few days – Hope you feel better soon, Steve

I wasn’t as excited to get home once I found out he wasn’t going to be around.

I was trying to balance my mail on the sling on my arm and close the mail slot and relock it when everything fluttered to the floor. I sighed and locked the box before bending down to pick up my mail. My recovery was taking longer than I’d anticipated, although it was going much better than I’d expected. I was regaining the strength in my shoulder, and I was no longer having any pain. I finally had to admit that the surgery was successful, I just hated being sidelined. I wasn’t able to go back to work yet, so spent the better part of every day haunting the mailbox, waiting for my board results.

I stooped over to pick up my mail, and saw that one of the letters was my results. I suddenly felt a little sick. I was scared to open it and find out what the result was. The exams had been difficult. I felt confident but they were hard work. It didn’t help that Steve had been held away on whatever assignment he was on either. I hadn’t had a single nightmare while I was in the hospital, but considering how quickly they started again once I’d been discharged, I figured there had probably been a great deal of sedation involved in my dreamless rest.

I must have been sitting on my living room floor, staring at the envelope in front of me, trying to work up the courage to open it for 2 hours when a soft knock came on my door.

“It’s open,” I called, without moving.

“Hey, I thought you might be hungry so I picked up steaks on my way ho- what are you doing, Lex?” Steve stopped short of stepping on the envelope. I looked up.

“I am starving.”

“Are those your results?” He asked.

“Are they big steaks? I feel like I could eat half a cow.” My focus had completely jumped from my marks to the bag of steak in Steve’s hand.

“Why haven’t you opened them yet?” He sat down across from me.

“Too nervous.”

“You have to open it eventually.”

“Can you?” I flicked the envelope toward him. He nodded and opened it. I could see him scanning the letter, no emotion on his face. He folded the letter back up and put it back in the envelope.

“Well?” I asked. He handed me the envelope.

“I think you need to look yourself.” He still betrayed no emotion. No smile, no frown. My stomach dropped and I pulled the letter out of the envelope and opened it slowly. A smile crept across my face.

“With distinction?” I shrieked. He leaned over and gingerly hugged me, trying to avoid my sling.

“Glad I bought steaks. Let’s celebrate.”

XXX

I returned to work only to empty my locker out. Once SHIELD had been apprised of my board results, I had been reassigned to the helicarrier clinic that I’d previously been a nurse at. I was sad to be leaving, surprisingly. Steve had, rather chivalrously, offered to help me carry my things back to the apartment, since I was still not supposed to be lifting heavy things. Erica and Jamie walked in while I was packing up.

“Hey, did you get your board results, Lexy?” Jamie asked. I nodded.

“Yep. I’ve been reassigned to my old post, but as the managing doc this time.”

“I guess all the extra time in the pit here paid off,” Erica laughed, and then saw Steve. She smiled broadly.

“Hey, Running Guy! How are you? We’ve never actually met. I’m Erica. I work with Lexy.”

“Lexy?” Steve raised an eyebrow at me. I shrugged.

“Steve, this is Erica and Jamie. They were both in my residency cohort here.” Steve leaned forward and shook both their hands.

“I’m glad you came back to get your things, Lexy. We’ve got an invite for you for the commencement party.” Jamie dug through his locker and handed it to me.

“Really?” I was surprised.

“You’re one of us now, even though you’re leaving,” he said. “It’s day after tomorrow – will you still be around?”

“Yeah, I don’t have to be at my new post until next Tuesday. I have a few follow up appointments from my surgery that I’ve got to get to.”

“So you’ll be there?” Erica demanded. I shrugged.

“Sure.”

“Bring your friend,” she ordered. Steve smiled. I finished pulling my things out of my locker and tossed them in the bag Steve was holding.

Steve knocked on my door before he came in. I was standing at the mirror, putting earrings on. He let out a low whistle.

“You look amazing.” I was wearing a black formal gown. It was fitted through the bodice but all flowy layers of organza in the skirt. And a killer pair of black heels. My hair was loose and curled. I actually did look amazing. I turned to thank him and lost my breath.

“You clean up good, soldier.” He was in a black suit that was tailored perfectly to his broad shoulders. He smiled.

“It was a toss up between this and jeans,” he teased. I couldn’t help myself, I had to touch him. I smoothed the lapels of his jacket, and fixed his pocket square. He helped me adjust my sling before we hailed a taxi.

The party was much more crowded than I’d expected. It seemed as though every doctor at the hospital was there, as well as the residency cohort, and their families. I was once again very happy to have been humbled by Jamie’s reproach those few weeks ago in the locker room, as I felt not only like I deserved to be there, but that I also belonged there with my colleagues. The chief attending approached.

“I understand congratulations are in order, Dr. Richmond. Passing with distinction is no mean feat. To have done so after the break you took is even more commendable.” He shook my hand.

“Thank you, Dr. Jameson. I credit this program entirely. The attendings were fantastic, and the cohort was very supportive. You run an awesome program. Thank you for making the space for me.”

“I know you are headed on to more exciting things, but I do hope that you will remember us, should you need a place in the future. Now, introduce me,” he turned to Steve, “Are you Alexandra’s husband?” Steve had just taken a swallow of his drink and promptly choked. I laughed and rubbed his back.

“No, Dr. Jameson, this is Captain Steve Rogers. He and I work together,” I explained.

“I’m sorry, son. You look so at ease with one another. I assumed,” Dr. Jameson laughed. Steve recovered and shook Dr. Jameson’s hand when he offered it.

“No apology needed, sir. Lex and I are close friends.” The admission warmed my heart. Dr. Jameson excused himself to go speak to another colleague. We slowly made our way around the party so I could make my goodbyes to my cohort, and wound up near the dance floor. Steve smiled as the band played a slow song that we both instantly recognized. It was the Glenn Miller song he’d been humming the first night he made dinner for me.

“Would you like to dance?” I asked. He blushed.

“I never learned how,” he admitted. I pointed to the other couples.

“Look at them. They never did either,” I laughed. He raised an eyebrow and led me out onto the dance floor. I settled into his arms and as he confidently took the lead realized that not learning to dance mean something different in the 40s than it did now. His hand was strong against my back.

“Thank you for inviting me tonight, Lex. Or should I call you Lexy? Your classmates all seem to,” he teased. I rolled my eyes.

“I appreciate you coming with me,” I carefully ignored the inquiry about my name. We passed the rest of the song in silence. My shoulder was starting to ache and Steve took that as the cue to collect our coats and hail a cab. He walked me to my door and stopped.

“You’re off to your new post tomorrow?” He asked.

“I am.”

“I am going to miss our runs.” He looked at his feet before looking me in the eye. His eyes were impossibly blue. And sad.

“I’m going to miss you. Is it bad that I hope something goes horribly wrong so that you are needed on the helicarrier really soon?” I laughed weakly. He smiled.

“Maybe a little bad. Are you actually on duty tomorrow?”

“No, it’s a travel day.” All I was going to be required to do was make it to the helicopter that would take me to the helicarrier and check into my bunk.

“I have popcorn,” he stated.

“Help me unzip and I’ll get changed and meet you upstairs in 20 minutes,” I laughed. He stepped inside my apartment and helped me out of my coat. He slipped my sling over my head and then turned me around and unzipped the top of my dress for me before heading up to his place. I put my pajamas on, brushed my hair, washed my face and unpacked my slippers.

His apartment already smelled like popcorn by the time I got up there. He was flopped out on the couch with a bowl in his lap in a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and a SHIELD t-shirt. He patted the spot beside him on the couch, and slung his arm around my shoulder when I tucked in beside him.

“I upgraded the sound system a few days ago, so I thought we should test drive it before you go.” He pointed the remote at the screen and the opening credits of Top Gun flashed on the screen. I laughed and grabbed a handful of popcorn.

I was so used to sleeping at Steve’s that it came as no surprise that when I awoke in the morning, we were tangled up together on the couch still. The TV had put itself to sleep at some point, and the DVD symbol was bouncing around the screen. I disentangled myself from Steve and headed to the kitchen to make coffee. His head popped up a few minutes later.

“How soon do you need to head out to your flight?” He rubbed his eyes and yawned. I looked at the clock on the microwave.

“About two hours.” I poured us both cups and brought them to the couch. We sat in silence for a few minutes. Steve suddenly stood, taking me off guard.

“I’m going for a shower. I’ll come with you to the helipad,” he decided and headed to the bathroom. I nipped down to my apartment to shower and dress. He was still in the shower when I got back up, so I thought I would surprise him with breakfast.

“Something smells amazing.” He wandered out of the bathroom with the skimpiest towel I’ve ever seen wrapped around his hips. He looked like a god. A wet, drippy, water beading across his chest like a trashy romance novel god. I stopped dead and took it in, in a highly unprofessional manner. When I realized I was staring, I turned back to the frying pan and blushed.

“Uh, could you go put some clothes on?” I asked, without turning back to face him again. He laughed.

“Weren’t we at a party last night celebrating you becoming a full-fledged doctor?” He teased.

“We’ve covered that you’re really pretty before, Steve. Please put some clothes on.”

“You may have mentioned it once or twice,” he laughed and from the corner of my eye, I could see he’d made no move to go get dressed. In fact, he was walking closer to me.

“It’s just a little awkward to see you naked.”

“This is my last chance to torment you for a while, Lex. Let me have it.” He wrapped his arms around me and rested his head on my shoulder. While still only wearing a towel. I turned in his arms.

“Steve, you are my best friend. But if you don’t put on some clothes, right fucking now, I will not be responsible for what happens next.” I kept my voice calm and steady, and kept my eyes on his. He quirked an eyebrow and made no move to let go of me. I bit my cheek.

“Really?” He dared me. He actually dared me. I put my hands on either side of his face and brought it down to mine and planted a chaste kiss right on his mouth. His arms dropped from around me, and he carefully pushed me away, and just stared at me. My hand dropped to my mouth and I cringed. He shook his head, took my hand in his and leaned back in to kiss me. It was tentative, and gentle, and the minute I responded just so so much more. He pushed me against the counter and I wrapped my good arm around the back of his neck and for about thirty seconds I forgot that I was leaving and he was staying and that he was my closest friend and that I didn’t want that destroyed and I just gave in to all the pent-up frustration and lust I’d been feeling since I first met him. And it was the most incredible kiss I’d ever had. And then the fog in my brain cleared and I panicked and pushed him away.

“Oh God, Steve, I am so sorry!” I cried and ran out of his apartment. I flew through my own apartment, got dressed, and threw the last of my things into the duffel I was taking with me. I ran out into the street and jumped into the first cab I saw. I gave the cabbie the address and burst into tears. I had ruined everything.

#avengers fanfic #Steve Rogers x OFC

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