Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Beatrice has made a mistake.

She couldn’t tell this was a western themed bar from the outside. It looked like a very normal, corner bar on the street.

The only reason she’s here at all is because it’s so damn hard to fall asleep in a new city. She feels like she should be used to it by now, given how often she moves between them - but still, each new job brings with it a new set of anxieties.

So she likes to find a place near her hotel to grab a few drinks and settle her nerves the night before. Once she meets everyone and figures out the logistics of the assignment, then it’s easier. It’s all numbers and strategies and the things she’s actually good at.

Those first impressions though, when she sets foot in front of her clients, those are the hard part.

Still, Beatrice had no clue this bar across the street was full of cowboys until she walked in and found herself face to face with the enormous head of an elk stuck on the wall.

Far be it from Beatrice to not make the most out of any situation though, she’s tired from the flight and everyone inside seems to be having a good time so she should have no trouble slipping to the bar for a couple of drinks before heading back to her room.

At least the music isn’t terrible, she doesn’t recognize it, but the vibe is good - not at all the country music she associates with the genre. There’s no heavy ballad about a truck or a dog or a lost love - it’s just smooth guitar and a raspy female voice soothing over the bar.

There’s a clear path to the bar with tables on either side. To the right beyond the seating area is a pool table and gaming room with assorted bar games currently full up with people laughing and having fun.

Beatrice hasn’t played pool since college, she wonders briefly if she’s still as good as she used to be. When her and Lilith would shark people for money to pay for everything from dinner to exuberant textbook fees.

She’s now very glad she didn’t bother to wake Lilith up to come with her because that’s exactly where Lilith would have dragged her to first.

By the time Beatrice makes it to the bar she sees an open seat to the right and sets herself up there, thankful she put on a pair of brown slacks. Because while the bar doesn’t look to be dirty, there’s a rustic, worn in vibe that probably wouldn't play well with any of her dress pants.

She takes in the bar itself, with its glass counter with everything from license plates to flyers for rodeos laminated beneath it. A far cry from the rooftop bar she was in two months ago in Miami - all palm trees and gorgeous sunsets.

Behind the bar is the classic wall of liquors and spirits - all brightly colored with neon signs for every kind of cheap beer and commercial quality hard liquor imaginable.

“What can I get’cha?” The bartender slides up to her, he’s not wearing a cowboy hat, but his shirt is button down and striped and his belt buckle clicks against the glass as he leans forward.

He fits the room perfectly, the mustache helps.

Beatrice takes a half second to decide. “You wouldn't happen to have any Lagavulin would you?”

This makes him laugh. “Oh, a woman after my own heart! Sadly we don’t have anything quite that nice here, but I think I can sense your taste and set you up with something to satisfy.”

It’s late and she’s basically hotwired from her flight, so why not? “Alright, I’ll trust you just this once.”

“S’all I need.” He turns then and plucks a bottle off the wall before looking back at her. “Rocks?” He asks and Beatrice shakes her head. This answer seems to satisfy him. “I need more customers like you,” he says as she watches him pour her drink into a short glass about halfway up.

He sets it on a coaster with the bar’s logo on it and slides it her way.

Thankfully, the bar is busy enough that he doesn't linger. He seems nice, but Beatrice isn’t really up for small talk and while she can understand he’s attractive by the standard, he is decidedly not her type in any way.

At this point Beatrice is convinced she doesn’t have a type. Her life is too hectic for a type - too much travel and stress and an endless stream of ever changing finish lines that keep her too busy for a type.

So instead she settles for simplicity. She likes to enjoy her lovelife in small, compact moments. A cute girl she meets at the airport who she shares a cab with ends up coming to her hotel room for a night or someone she enjoyed working with gets a night out to dinner and a complimentary breakfast in the morning when the job is done.

Beatrice treats each encounter with care. She’s tender and giving, of course a lot of the personality she presents to them is a front, but she is very clear from the start that it is merely that.

An encounter.

Nothing more or less, her job is too important. Especially now that she’s opened her own firm, putting not only her career, but those around her as well, in her own hands.

Twirling her glass, Beatrice sips the scotch given to her and has to admit that it’s not bad. Not the best she’s ever had, but for a random bar in the middle of Colorado, it’s good enough.

“Howdy partner!” The voice that calls out is close, and the accent is incredibly overdone, but it’s enough to get Beatrice’s attention.

She turns to her right as a girl slides into the seat next to her.

Stunning. It’s the first word that comes to Beatrice’s mind when she sees her. A beautiful face with dark eyes and a big, beaming smile. The girl is wearing a black button down with little gray spurs on it. It’s smaller though, tied at the front overtop of a matching black tank top that shows off some remarkable cleavage.

To match, she has on a very tight pair of dark denim jeans and cowboy boots as well. “Hello,” Beatrice offers back, unable to resist the charming grin staring back at her.

“You look like how I feel,” she says, propping an elbow on the table as she sits on the stool sideways to look directly at Beatrice.

“How is that?”

“Out of place,” she says with a laugh.

Beatrice can't help but return it. “You certainly don’t seem out of place.”

“Oh you mean the outfit?” Beatrice nods. “Yeah no this was…we’ve been planning on coming here for a while for a friend of mine’s birthday. Was supposed to be tonight but it turns out she’s sick and had to stay home - but I was all primed up to go and it felt a shame to waste the outfit.” She takes off her cowboy hat and sets it down on the bar. “But I must be doing something right if you think I look the part.”

Sipping her scotch, Beatrice feels the pull of attraction strike her. This girl is beautiful, fit and charming - she has a nice energy and it’s very hard to not stare at the places her outfit is drawing attention to.

In a few blinks, Beatrice decides to test the waters. “Someone as beautiful as you, I’d imagine you can pull off just about anything.”

When one of the girl’s eyebrows shoots up, matching her smirk, Beatrice knows she has an inroad. “That’s not a line is it?”

“Everything is a line,” Beatrice sends back. “What matters is finding someone worth using it on.”

“So you think I’m worthy of a good pickup line?”

She lets the liquor sit on her tongue, giving this girl a once over. “I believe a good pickup line is made for someone like you.”

That seems to do the trick because she sees the girl scoot her stool closer, dragging her cowboy hat along with her. The closer she gets, the more Beatrice can smell the delightful green apple scent of her shampoo. “So what are you drinking?”

“Scotch,” she says, tipping the glass to her lips. “Can I get you something?”

“Wouldn’t say no to a cuba libre.”

Beatrice laughs. “I think we might have to go with the layman's term here.”

“What, you don’t think Cowboy Bill behind the bar over there knows what a cuba libre is?”

She turns just in time to see the bartender let out a very loud shout as a certain song starts to pick up steam on the radio. “Something tells me no,” she looks back at her new drinking partner, who is now only a foot or so away from her, so close Beatrice can see the gloss of her lips, the beautiful color of her eyes.

At this point, Beatrice has no doubt she wants to see what this girl looks like when she comes.

“So, what’s your name?” The girl asks, and Beatrice is about to say it when she feels fingertips dancing along her forearm. She looks down, watching the movement trace across the muscle in her arm and then smiles.

“Beatrice.”

“Hmm, I like that,” the touch on her forearm lifts, the same hand extended towards her. “Hi Beatrice, my name is Ava.” Their hands meet and Beatrice is taken with the strong grip that she finds. Ava’s hold lingers, just as her gaze does.

She’s not as skilled in silent communication as she was in grad school, but she’s fairly certain Ava is feeling the same thing she is. “How about I get you that drink?”

Ava grins. “First round is yours, the second is on me. Deal?”

“Sounds fair.”

-------------------

“So how the hell did you end up in this bar?” Ava asks, tipping the last of her fourth (fifth?) drink down and placing the glass down beside her. “No offense, you just seem…you stick out.”

Beatrice sighs, completely aware of how easily the scotch is going down now. Also even more aware of the fact that there is basically no distance between the two of them now. Beatrice has turned as Ava did, to face each other, and now Ava’s knee is basically sitting in between Beatrice’s legs.

“By mistake, my hotel is nearby and I needed something to take the usual edge off before I start a new job.”

Ava hums again, a deep vibration from her throat that rumbles through Beatrice’s bones. “So your hotel is nearby?”

“It is,” Beatrice says, but if she’s being entirely honest, she doesn't want to waste the time it would take to walk back - or risk losing the nice buzz she has. “As you pointed out, I don’t exactly fit in.”

“Good for me, I think - you standing out meant I was able to find you.”

Beatrice grins, feeling a touch of heat in her cheeks - Ava’s incredibly blunt and disarming, but warm. She makes Beatrice want to do something stupid. “I consider myself the lucky one,” Beatrice reaches out, draping her hand on Ava’s knee. “You could have anyone you desired in this place, the fact that you approached me is a delightful confidence boost.”

“As if you need it,” Ava says, blinking a bit slower when Beatrice’s hand slides up her leg - she’s beyond being subtle - she wants Ava, as soon as possible. “Bea?” Ava whispers now, just enough that it carries between them. “How much longer are we gonna blow smoke up each other’s asses before we just admit we wanna fuck?”

Oh? So much for subtlety.

Beatrice can work with this. “I don’t have time for strings.”

“I can work with that.” Ava takes her hand then, pulling it in and putting it on her waist. Beatrice presses her thumb into Ava’s stomach, feeling her muscle tense. “In fact, why do we need to wait? Just sit here, count to twenty, and follow me into the bathroom.”

That…that catches Beatrice off guard. “You want to do it here?”

Ava shrugs. “Why not? I can be quiet and you look like you know how to hold a moan.” Ava leans forward then, pressing her hands down high on Beatrice’s thighs. “Unless you really want to go all the way back to your hotel with the knowledge that I’m already wet for you.”

She’s learning very quickly that Ava is seductive and potentially dangerous. Because in any other situation, the prospect of having sex in a random bathroom, in a random bar, in a random city in the midwest with a stranger would send her running for the door.

But with Ava, she catches herself actively considering it. Beatrice lives her life in consequences and right now she’s trying to sort out in her mind why this is a terrible idea.

The only reason she can truly come up with is that they might be caught - and if she’s being honest with herself, she couldn’t care less.

She doesn't know anyone here, she’s never setting foot in this bar again after tonight - even if she might be stuck here for the next three months, this bar is not for her and once the first night jitters are gone she won’t need the late night drink to help her sleep.

If they do it here, she won’t have to deal with that awkward moment where she needs Ava to leave so she can sleep before her first meeting in the morning. They can take care of it here, shake hands (after properly washing them, of course) and both have a good memory to call back on if they happen to wake up in the middle of the night restless.

So in the course of about ten seconds, which feels like it stretches on far longer, Beatrice makes up her mind. “I’ll go first, give me sixty seconds.”

Ava grins. “One Mississippi,” she starts and Beatrice rolls her eyes before pounding the rest of her drink and shuffling off towards the bathroom. “Two Mississippi.”

She moves a little faster as she hears Ava continuing her countdown and realizes she’s on a real time limit.

The bathroom itself is, well, it’s a lot like the bar itself.

Dark, which is kind of a bonus for this situation. Fake wood walls and gunmetal stalls. There’s one woman at the sink, applying some kind of makeup to her eyes with her bag open by the sink.

She doesn’t so much as give Beatrice a second look as she slips into the second stall and closes the door behind her, not latching it.

Beatrice takes a deep breath, letting the cloudiness of her buzz take control - the trembling heat in her lower abdomen is boiling over. She’s there, she’s ready and when she hears the bathroom door open again, country music coming through in a short burst before it closes, she waits.

“Bea?” Ava calls out, very clearly in the stall next to her.

“One over,” she says back, worried that the lady doing her makeup is still there and hearing everything.

A few moments later, her stall door opens and Beatrice sees that the lady is, in fact, still there, only now there’s two more girls at the sinks as well - these two are chatting with one another but none of them seem to notice Beatrice in the stall Ava goes into.

“Hey,” Ava whispers, not hesitating to move into Beatrice’s personal space.

When Ava’s breasts press into Beatrice’s body, she suddenly doesn’t mind either. “Hello,” Beatrice says back. “How do you mmmf,”

Ava kisses her, not waiting another second and Beatrice’s body responds instantly. Her hands slip behind Ava’s bag, balling up the material of her spur patterned button down and tilting her head to the side.

Ava tastes faintly of vanilla from her choice in rum. Her lips are so soft and warm, and when she opens her mouth and runs her tongue along Beatrice’s bottom lip, the invitation is accepted instantly.

Their hands start to travel then, Beatrice feels Ava’s slide down her back, reaching for her butt and running softly over it before her fingers dig in and squeeze.

Beatrice surprises herself when she gasps, moving both hands to Ava’s face and cupping her cheeks. She lets her fingers rise up into Ava’s hair and turns so she’s pressing Ava into the stall and seizing control of the situation.

“Bea,” Ava gasps, probably too loudly but she couldn’t care less. Her body is too warm, her desire too strong. She wants to taste Ava, to feel how warm and wet she is.

To make her come.

“You have to be quiet, remember? You said you could be.”

Ava nods, “I can, but I don’t give a fuck if I’m not.”

Beatrice grins, using her fingers to snap the button of Ava’s jeans open. It comes undone easily enough, but they're too tight to slip inside, so she has to let Ava go just long enough to shuck them down her thighs.

When she does, she sees Ava’s panties, a barely there pair of black lace that ignites Beatrice’s desire even more. “You’re a problem,” she says, meaning it. Ava is the kind of girl that could ruin someone without even trying. So sexy and cute and forward.

“I’ve heard that my whole life,” she says, so proud of it too.

Beatrice leans forward and kisses her, gathering Ava’s bottom lip between her teeth and dragging it out as her hand dips into Ava’s panties.

She’s soaked, completely willing and ready to take whatever Beatrice has to offer.

The first thing Beatrice does is find Ava’s clit and run two fingers over it in testing circles, wanting to figure out exactly what Ava likes.

Meanwhile, their kisses have turned sloppy, uncoordinated as Ava is clearly focusing on the way Beatrice is working her over in slow, sensual circles.

She moans, a breathy, sweet little thing that Beatrice swallows down before she takes her two middle fingers and dips them into Ava’s cunt.

That does the most damage because Ava falls forward then, teeth sinking into the apex of Beatrice’s neck and shoulder. It’s a sharp bite, but Beatrice enjoys it. She’s always had the slightest taste for pain in her pleasure - nothing too wild, but biting is on the table.

Ava’s hands are tugging at the bottom of Beatrice’s shirt as she’s being fingered, then she feels those hands slide up her back, nails raking against her skin. It’s not enough to do any real damage, but she’s certain there are red marks being left behind.

Beatrice latches her tongue onto Ava’s pulse, feeling the teeth on her neck release just as Ava cries out. It’s too loud, if there’s anyone still in this bathroom they’ve heard it - but Beatrice doesn’t care.

Her lips move down Ava’s neck, across her collarbone and then to the top of her breasts. It seems such a shame to have Ava here this one time and not appreciate what she is certain are a fantastic pair of breasts.

So Beatrice uses her free hand and unties the knot on Ava’s button down shirt and then lifts her tank top up.

Ava’s bra matches her panties, black lace and frilly. Her breasts are, in fact, magnificent and Beatrice watches Ava’s face, twisted in pleasure as Beatrice pumps in and out of her again and again.

Waiting, she watches Ava’s eyes find her and then glances down at her breasts before looking back up, quietly asking permission.

She’s given a quick nod and that’s all she needs. Beatrice pulls Ava’s bra up, exposing her to the chilly air of the bathroom. Her nipples are hard already, too tempting, Beatrice dips her head down and captures one in her mouth.

This time, she’s the one who moans, loving the feel of Ava’s nipple between her lips.

Beatrice has never done anything like this before. Once she was finally able to come to grips not only with her sexuality, but her healthy desire for sexual contact, Beatrice let herself enjoy it.

Still, it’s never been like this. Never been so needy and desperate - certainly never in the bathroom of a bar.

But the feel of Ava is too much, it’s consuming her and she’s happy to devour every bit of it.

“Faster,” Ava whispers and Beatrice refocuses, happy to comply.

She lets Ava’s breast go and takes in the sight of her. Shirt and bra rucked up her chest, head thrown back, pants and around her thighs and hanging onto Beatrice for dear life.

She’s beautiful.

“There, right there,” Ava’s voice is too loud, Beatrice shushes her but it doesn't seem to work. “I’m close, I’m gonna, I’m…I can't-”

Beatrice knows what’s happening and leans in, kissing her hard as she captures the moan Ava lets rip through her chest when she comes.

Ava’s cunt clenches around Beatrice’s fingers, her thighs squeeze together as she quivers and shakes - her poor head smashing into the wall of the bathroom stall but she hardly seems to notice.

It takes Ava a few seconds to come back to reality, her eyes glossed over and her mouth hanging open. When she meets Beatrice’s eyes, she smiles. “Holy shit, Bea.”

The nickname, on that tongue, strikes something in Beatrice’s chest. “Good?”

“Fuck,” Ava laughs breathlessly. “Give me a second and -”

“Uhm,” a voice outside the stall says, very timidly. “Is everything okay in there?”

Beatrice tenses, very gently taking her fingers out of Ava. “Yes, of course. My friend has just had a bit too much to drink. She’s feeling better though.”

Ava snorts. “That’s an understatement,” she whispers and Beatrice shoots a glare at her, which only makes her grin wider.

“Alright, well if you need any help.”

“We’re fine,” Beatrice says in her most professional voice. “Thank you.”

The next thing she knows, Ava is leaning forward and kissing her, it’s a bit chaste, softer - like a thank you. When they pull apart, Ava sighs. “Your turn?”

As much as Beatrice wants it - they’ve already drawn enough attention and it’s incredibly late - she does have to work in the morning. “Next time,” she says, knowing full well there won’t be a next time

Ava frowns, it’s far too adorable. “Are you sure?”

It takes every bit of resolve Beatrice has not to drag Ava back to her hotel room. “I am, this…you…were lovely, though.” She reaches out and helps Ava put herself back together. Tugging her top down and rearranging her bra as she does, then tying her spur patterned button down back together as Ava pulls her jeans up.

“I was lovely? You gave me the best orgasm I’ve had all year.”

“Glad to hear it.” Once she’s arranged, Beatrice gives herself one last, good look at Ava - letting her fingers brush a stray bit of hair behind her ear. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Ava.”

“You too,” Ava sighs, then gives Beatrice one last kiss. “Get to your hotel safe, okay? I’ll go close out our tabs.”

“Oh no, I have -”

“Bea,” Ava silences her, the nickname falling so easily from her lips. “I’ve got it, get some rest, you seem like a busy woman, so I imagine you have an early morning ahead of you.”

That she does. “Alright, take care, Ava.” Beatrice meets her eyes one last time before she opens the bathroom door, not even bothering to see if anyone else in there is looking at her.

When she does make it back to her room that night, Beatrice climbs into bed with Ava’s smile in her head. The sound of her moans in her ears, and the taste of vanilla on her tongue.

It’s all the fuel she needs to get herself off before drifting to sleep.

-------------------

Beatrice always wakes up before an alarm, it’s one of her less satisfying skills.

She can tell immediately that she’s not at her best. A late night mixed with drinking and sex in a public bathroom have left her a bit exhausted at 5:45 in the morning.

Still, she finds herself smiling as she rolls over and clicks off the alarm on the clock at the side of her bed. Ava’s pretty face popping into her head again as she closes her eyes.

Last night felt a bit surreal. Beatrice has moved past her isolation phase, her repression phase (at last sexually, emotional baggage is another story), but to do it in a bathroom at some random bar with a stranger? No, even if she tells her friends about it point blank she’s certain they won’t believe her.

Not that she has any intention of telling them anything. Lilith is the only one here with her right now as they scout out this job and she’s already expecting a full run of hard stares and long suffering sighs at the fact that Beatrice went out last night at all.

There is a certain sadness in knowing that she’ll probably never see Ava again. Out of all the random encounters Beatrice has had with her job in the various places it has taken her, Ava is definitely the most interesting person she’s come across.

The energy she had was electric and contagious. Notwithstanding how beautiful she was, how attractive and sexy and charming.

Yeah, Beatrice thinks in another life, she could become fairly addicted to someone like Ava.

Unfortunately, life goes on and she’s certain Ava will be just fine. Beatrice has a job to do and a hospital to evaluate and it’s almost six now which means she has thirty minutes to get in her morning stretches before Lilith is texting her. Then another thirty after that before Lilith is pounding on her door.

So the morning goes on and Beatrice does her thing. This hotel is going to be her home for at least a month, probably more, so she spent most of her time yesterday sorting it out to fit her needs. She’s filled the closet with her belongings, set up her exercise mat in the corner with her cell phone dock to play music.

She stretches and goes through a few aikido moves to warm up her body - then showers and picks out her outfit for the day.

Dark dress pants and a white button down underneath a black blazer. She ties up her hair, thinking a bit of Ava and her free spirit before letting a few stray hairs slip free of the bun and frame her face.

She misses her blonde tips, perhaps one day when she isn’t working so hard to come across as a professional firm manager she can go back.

By the time she’s ready to go, like clockwork, there’s a knock on her door at seven.

Beatrice tucks away the files and notes she has on the hospital they're working with into her messenger briefcase before going to the door and opening it.

Lilith stands as rigid and proper as she always does - that narrow eyed glare Beatrice has been expecting all morning. “You had a long night.”

“Were you spying on me?”

“Hardly,” Lilith scoffs. “We’ve worked together for years now, Beatrice - I know your patterns.”

“My patterns?” Beatrice doesn't know why she’s being petulant. She absolutely has patterns.

“Yes, you find a bar your first night in the city, you drink because you’ve stressed yourself out so much thinking of every possible scenario that could go wrong, which is only doubled now that you’ve started your own firm and have dragged myself and some of our closest colleagues and friends into it and you worry constantly that you’re ruining all our lives.”

Beatrice really needs to start traveling with Mary more instead of Lilith. “Regardless, I’m more than prepared for today.”

“Of that I have no doubt. What was her name?”

Beatrice rolls her eyes and slides past Lilith, closing her hotel door behind her. “Did you get coffee?”

“We’ll stop on the way, answer the question.”

They both step into the elevator, Beatrice wondering how much longer she can maintain a silence before Lilith starts moving into her personal space with her prodding questions. “I didn’t bring anyone back with me.” She says, an honest answer.

Lilith’s eyes narrow. “You also weren’t home until well past one in the morning. “

“You were spying on me.”

“We share a wall, I heard your door open when you came home.”

Somehow, they’ve found a hotel with the slowest elevator in existence. “Well it was only me, I came home alone.”

That should be the end of it. She’s telling no lies. When the door to the elevator opens and they make their way through the lobby, Beatrice can still feel Lilith watching her. “So you went back to her place?”

“Oh my God, Lilith, fine! Yes, I met someone, no we did not go back to her place or to my hotel room, we went to the bathroom of the bar and dealt with it, then I came home and went to sleep, are you happy?”

She says it too loud, so much so that she’s almost certain the poor man working the front desk has heard, as did the family that is at checkout - but she doesn't care. So what if she’ll have to refuse eye contact with the people here for the next month (or however long they stay). She’s dealt with worse when it comes to her sex life.

As she pushes through the door into the chilly morning air, Lilith is cackling behind her.

“Wow, she must have been something to drag the patron saint of sanity and clear thinking into a bathroom stall for a quickie.”

Unfortunately, Beatrice doesn’t have a good response to that.

-------------------------

“Lilith, I know.”

“Do you?”

Beatrice pulls into a parking spot on the bottom level of the structure, their rental car is tiny so their bags are basically stuck in the center console between them and halfway on the backseat.

Lilith has already started digging things out, running the numbers and stating her opinions before they’ve even had their first meeting.

“I do,” she rattles a handful of paper around. “The offer made to them is tremendous and given their lower rates and the absurd amount of procedures that they have practically gifted to some of their patients I just don’t see how they can stay this deep in the red and maintain.”

“It’s not a lost cause, Lilith,” they both climb out of the car, gathering their things as more chilly air hits them. The parking structure is covered, but still exposed to the elements with open sides that look out into the city. “It’s one of the most well reviewed hospitals in the city, in the entire region and they have marketability.”

“One prodigy doctor is not enough to keep a hospital afloat.”

She knows it’s true, but based on the brief summary she was given on Dr. Silva, Beatrice thinks there must be something to it. Smart, marketable, compassionate, charming, one of the brightest and most uniquely gifted minds in medicine of the last fifty years.

All of it looks great on paper, but the declining revenue and fading Medicare reimbursement rates do not.

“They hired us to try and fix this, Lilith. To see what we can do to streamline patient care, help with funding and prevent them from having to sell and disband - so that’s what we’re going to try and do.”

She stops, just before they enter the hospital, giving Lilith a hard look to let her know she’s still the boss.

Thankfully, Lilith understands and at the end of the day, she brings Lilith with her because she’s very good at what she does. “Then let’s go get started.” They make their way inside, “you just know this Dr. Silva is going to be a kook though. She probably wears wicker shoes or treats broken bones with laughter or some shit.”

Beatrice is hoping not, she’s really and truly hoping this Dr. Silva is as good as the initial reports on her suggest because they're going to need all the help they can get, and a face to put behind new marketing or strategic financial increase would surely help.

The hospital itself is very warm and inviting. Where most hospitals are giant pillars and fluorescent lights, this one feels more personal.

The walls have murals and paintings scattered all across them - soft yellows and blues as far as the eye can see.

Lilith moves to the front desk to sort out where to go to their meeting as Beatrice continues to take in the hospital entryway. She can see and hear the movement of the emergency room just beyond the main wall. There are rows of chairs, only a few filled with people and there’s a woman going around with a chart, taking in information from people waiting.

The line seems pretty steady and the staff she can see behind the desk are all working hard.

Smaller hospitals such as this one are usually great for the treatment of their patients. Without the fancy equipment and endless streams of donor money, the only way a care center like this stays open is based on reputation.

Places like this go the extra mile, do the extra work, treat people like people. They are wonderful in theory, but Beatrice works in numbers and more often than not, the numbers do not add up to maintain it.

Extra effort doesn't work if it’s put towards people anymore - only money.

“Third floor,” Lilith says, back with her finger pointing towards the elevator.

Beatrice nods and follows, continuing to take in the emergency trauma room.

She sees a few doctors, a few nurses, all of them moving quickly and changing their tone, their smile, their cadence based on who they come across.

“Apparently the legend herself Dr. Silva is the rep of the emergency department. Front desk lady told me three times.” Lilith rolls her eyes. “Did you know Northwestern and St. Luke’s tried to send recruiters to lure her away? They didn’t even make it to a meeting with her before she turned them down.”

Beatrice hums as she steps into the elevator. “So she’s loyal.”

“Or this place is the only one that puts up with her crazy.”

“Suppose it’s not the worst way to keep a rising star on staff.”

When a man starts taking longer steps towards the elevator door to catch it, Lilith smashes the door close button.

Beatrice makes a face of apology as the door shuts. “There was room.”

“It’s a hospital, Beatrice - we should have worn masks.”

She’s probably right.

Lilith sets her briefcase down and loosens her tie and re-ties it again. She’s a stickler for her appearance and Beatrice knows first hand she spends a small fortune on her outfits - but they work. She’s the best intimidator in the game when it comes to pushing across a final offer or a deadline.

Beatrice would never tell her directly, but convincing Lilith to join her start up consulting firm when she broke free from Mckinsey was a massive coup.

When the elevator dings on the third floor, the vibe changes. Gone are the warm colors and endless noise of a trauma center - instead there are bright lights, wood trimmed walls and quiet.

There’s music playing, but it’s distant and soft - barely audible but just enough to fill the silence.

“Good morning,” someone says, and Beatrice notices a younger woman stepping towards them. She has on a gray pencil skirt and matching jacket overtop of a white shirt. Her eyes are soft, face warm as she smiles at them. “My name is Yasmine, you are here for the consultation?”

“Yes,” Beatrice answers, shaking Yasmine’s hand. “I’m Beatrice, this is Lilith - your building is lovely.”

“Thank you, we like it and we’re hoping to keep it.”

Beatrice nods. “Of course, we’re more than ready to get started towards making that happen.”

Lilith shakes Yasmine’s hand as well before they follow her through the much more traditional hallways of the surgery department towards a conference room tucked away at the far end of a hall.

“Our staff have selected representatives to tell you about their departments, and the Director herself is here as well, we’re all ready and willing to do what we can - we’ve even managed to wrestle Dr. Silva into sitting in and representing her department.”

“Oh lovely, I’m excited to meet her.” Lilith says, too chipper, very clearly fake - but Beatrice is the only one here who will notice.

“She’s a delight,” Yasmine says, her voice extremely genuine.

When the door opens, Beatrice sees a very typical conference room. A big round table, a window as the backdrop that overlooks the city below.

“Dr. Superion, the consultation team has arrived.”

“Excellent,” Beatrice watches Dr. Superion stand, a bit shaky with the help of a cane, but with an expression and presence that tells Beatrice the cane would not stop her from dropping anyone who assumed it was a weakness. “Let me start by introducing you to the staff. Our Chief of Surgery, Dr. Chanel Simone,”

“Glad to see they sent us a couple of women who know how to wear a suit.” Chanel says, reaching over the table to shake their hands. Beatrice takes her hand first, good handshake, genuine look of appreciation (and very little modesty as she looks them up and down).

Then she shakes Llith’s hand and…they continue shaking well past the customary two pumps. “The tie is a nice touch,” Chanel says and Lilith smirks.

“Had a bit of a personal debate with myself, red or black,”

Chanel laughs. “You could have pulled off both.”

Odd.

Dr. Superion speaks up. “We then have our swing. Dr. Camila.”

“Hi! Yeah it’s just Camila, Dr. Camila if you’re super set on being formal, but it’s my first name, I hate my last name and refuse to use it in a public space.”

Chanel rolls her eyes with some adoration in her eyes. “She’s a nutcase.”

“She’s also one of the best pediatric doctors in the state and works for us without an actual pediatrics department.” A man says, a man who is seated next to Dr. Superion with rounded glasses and a much less hospital adjacent outfit. Black suit, black tie. “Vincent Patēr, I manage the hospital's finances and billing department. It was my suggestion to reach out for assistance when the situation moved…beyond my skill set.”

“We’re only waiting now on,” the door opens and Dr. Superion sighs. “Dr. Silva, you’re late, I told everyone on the first floor to remind you of this meeting.”

Beatrice turns to see the prodigy and her stomach drops to the floor.

There, in the doorway, is Ava. She’s replaced her spur patterned button down for a white coat and her cowboy hat for a stethoscope.

The smile is still the same though, so is the shine in her eyes. Her hair that was loose and free last night, it half tied behind her head in a cute bun as the rest drapes down her neck. “Sorry! Sorry, I wasn't actually on the first floor, well, I was, but I was playing basketball with an outpatient who swore he’d broken his ankle. I told him it wasn't but he was convinced because he, quote, knows a break when he feels it. Xray came back negative, just a sprain and he thought he’d keep playing on it and I made him promise he wouldn't if I could make four straight free throws on the hoop out back.”

“You made the shots?!” Camila asks, shocked in her voice.

Beatrice thinks she may be having a stroke, Ava still hasn’t seen her yet.

Ava snorts. “Absolutely not, but his mom told me before we even went out that she would keep him off his feet as much as she could for a few weeks. I did make two though!” Ava bounces a bit, jacket flapping around her as she does “Oh! The firm, right, I’m here, I’m ready to sell my…Bea?”

That’s when their eyes meet and suddenly Beatrice’s mind is filled with the memory of Ava writhing against her - moaning as she came in the bathroom with country music as the soundtrack behind them.

“Oh my god.” Lilith whispers sharply next to her.

Beatrice wonders if leaping out of the window behind her would kill her or not.

She isn’t sure which answer would make her feel better.

Chapter Text

It’s probably overcompensating, but Beatrice shifts intensely into work mode when the meeting starts. To the point that she’s pretty sure her words have stopped sounding even the slightest bit cordial.

She was hired for a specific reason, to bring this hospital out of the red (or at least close enough to make keeping it open viable) and that is all that matters.

It’s all she can think about.

All she allows herself to think about.

So what if she’s also doing her absolute best to avoid eye contact with Ava who is staring a hole through her the entire time.

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the meeting is able to grab Beatrice’s attention completely when she realizes just how hard this job is going to be.

Their equipment is dated, their building is in dire need of remodel in key areas including the main entrance and a fair amount of the upper floor.

The most glaring issue this hospital has is its staff, they are incredibly talented, but also extremely limited - not to mention because of their demand and Dr. Superion’s support of her people, they all make very nice salaries.

They don’t bring in enough patients, they're constantly fighting with insurance companies for payments on bigger bills from trauma surgeries and some of the heavier duty scans.

Beatrice knows that another, unspoken part of it, is that this place is kind. The kind of place that doesn’t think about flow and discharge rates - instead focusing more on each individual patient.

It’s admirable, in fact, Beatrice thinks it’s how the world should operate, but kindness doesn’t keep the lights on.

Which is what she’s here for.

So when the meeting ends, Beatrice doesn’t make any promises, she simply tells them they’ll get to work immediately and that starts with tours.

Her and Lilith need to see the hospital - see how it’s streamlined and what the situation is like on every level.

“I’d be happy to take the surgical tour,” Lilith says, already completely focused on Dr. Simone as she grins back.

“Perfect, we have a laparotomy this afternoon if you’d care to scrub in and examine it?”

Lilith smiles, actually smiles and Beatrice barely recognizes her. “Can’t turn down an invitation like that. Give me ten minutes to confer with my colleague.”

Dr. Simone nods. “I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

Confer with her colleague? Beatrice knows what’s coming and it has nothing to do with their jobs.

“I guess that leaves you touring with me, huh?” Ava- Dr. Silva is already standing, a big, bright smile on her face as she makes her way to the door. “I’ll be in the bullpen downstairs when you’re ready.” She has the audacity to wink at Beatrice in front of Lilith, her own boss, and everyone else.

Dr. Superion is up as well. “We’ve set aside a conference room that the two of you can use to work in while you’re here - we’ve given you free reign to oversee what you need. However, please do not, under any circumstances, interfere with patient care or procedure.”

Both she and Lilith nod. “Of course,” Beatrice says. “We appreciate the space to work and the freedom to do our jobs. We will respect yours as well.”

With Ava out of the room the tension and weight of it all changes - Beatrice is astutely aware of that as she follows Lilith into the elevator in silence.

She knows what’s coming. They're going to their newly assigned office here in the hospital on the second floor - Yasmine leading them to it and as soon as they're alone…

Well, she may have to dropkick her business partner.

“Alright,” Yasmine starts leading them down the hall. “Your office is tucked away back here, it has everything you should need but if you do happen to need anything else, I’m your girl. I work on floor three, but feel free to speak to the front desk on this floor and they can contact me.”

Lilith smiles, it’s too big for her face. “Thank you so much,” she sounds like a supervillain when she pretends to be nice. “We’ll get to work immediately.”

Yasmine beams at this, as if she’s been mentally preparing herself for this exchange all week and it’s going above and beyond her wildest dreams.

Sadly, Beatrice can relate. She wonders if Yasmine had to drink away her anxieties the night before too.

With that, Yasmine leaves and as the door clicks behind her, Beatrice stands there watching it, holding her briefcase, waiting.

“So,” Lilith starts, already annoying. “I see you did your own research last night.”

Beatrice sighs and turns around. “You say that as if I knew who she was.”

“I say that, because it’s hilarious, Beatrice.”

Lilith has a strong, sharp jaw - Beatrice wonders if she could break it with one punch. “It was a mistake.”

“She clearly doesn’t think so.”

Cheap shot, but also…accurate. Ava was very clearly excited to see her and while Beatrice had to maintain her professionalism during the meeting, she’d be lying if she wasn't also glad to see her again as well.

Not that it matters. “It won’t be an issue.” Beatrice sets her briefcase down and starts unpacking it. There’s plenty of storage available in this room, she’ll be glad not to carry everything back and forth each day. “Since you’re apparently making me take the first floor tour-”

“I’m not dealing with your hook up all afternoon.”

Beatrice glares at her. “I will make it clear to her that we are going to be professional and I will do the job we were hired for.”

She watches Lilith’s cocky, obnoxious smirk fade just a little, watches her set her own things down on the big, rounded table in the center of the room. “It’s not you I’m worried about, Beatrice. I know you, I know you’ll do the job - I just think you need to be careful.”

“With what?”

Lilith gestures towards the door, as if to the entire hospital. “This place has some fairly strong ‘workplace home’ vibes. I got the sense that Dr. Superion is more of a mother figure to Dr. Silva than a boss - meaning if you upset her-”

“Dr. Silva is a grown woman.”

There’s a flicker of doubt in Lilith’s eyes. “She’s wearing duck socks.”

Yes, Beatrice noticed - they were kind of cute. “She’s quirky,” she can't help herself. “When I met her she was wearing a cowboy hat.”

Lilith’s face sours. “And you decided in that moment that you needed to fuck her in the bathroom?”

“How do you know it was in the bathroom?”

“You didn’t take her to the hotel, you didn’t go to her place, so unless you fucked her on the dance floor, the bathroom is the only logical solution.”

Beatrice hates this conversation. “Did you have anything to talk about beyond this? Perhaps in line with the job we’re here to do?”

“Sure,” Lilith lifts up a stack of papers. “You know why they called us, right?”

“Because Shannon has a history here? Because she knows Dr. Superion? Because we’re good at what we do?”

“No,” Lilith pulls out a few pages and holds them towards Beatrice. She knows they're statements, accounts and finance reports - she knows. “They called us because no major league firm would even take on this assignment. This hospital is running so deep in the red it’s almost a horror movie. I bet half of it is because the prodigal Dr. Silva spends two or three hours with each patient and slows down the streamline every single day.”

It’s entirely plausible, Ava seems the type, that’s what Beatrice worries about. These people are doing their best to treat the patients in a very broken system, but it cannot be maintained. “We’ll figure it out.”

“We both know where this is heading.”

Beatrice rolls her eyes. “Then we should just pack up right now and leave, tell them all we tried for a good,” Beatrice looks at her watch. “Hour and fifteen minutes and decided it was unsalvageable.”

“You’re being petty.”

“You’re being detrimental.”

Lilith sighs. “Fine, you’re the boss. I’ll go walk around the surgical department and pretend it’s perfectly fine when Dr. Silva starts sending up patients for free appendectomies.”

Now she’s getting on Beatrice’s nerves. “Why are you so focused on Ava?”

A single slip, and it’s all Lilith needs. “So it’s Ava now?”

“Stop, you’re deflecting.”

“It’s nothing, Beatrice. Go, take your tour and I’ll take mine. We’ll reconvene for lunch and…” Lilith sighs. “We’ll do the job we were hired for - but I’m calling Mary and telling her about all of this.”

Lilith is gone before Beatrice can protest.

Which leaves her with nothing left to do but organize their office a bit, which doesn’t take nearly as long as she’d hoped, before she has no other choice but to go downstairs.

For as infuriating as Lilith can be, she isn’t entirely wrong. This whole situation with Ava brings with it an unwanted element that Beatrice is ill equipped to deal with. Of course it wasn't anything she did intentionally, but this will be the first time she knows what one of the doctor’s she has to work with looks like when they orgasm.

It’s not that she has any lingering feelings for Ava, she hardly knows her. Still, there was some kind of connection there. In another life, perhaps, that moment in the bar could have been the start of something great.

Sadly, that’s not how Beatrice’s life works. She has far too much put into her new firm and too many people depend on her. Not to mention that Ava has a lot at stake here as well.

Given her known penchant for turning down offer after offer from big hospitals to lure her in, it’s obvious she has an attachment to this place in particular, so she will want to save it just as much as Beatrice does.

All of these thoughts are just enough to bolster her resolve to the point she thinks she’s ready to work by the time the elevator dings on the bottom floor.

It’s busier down here, much louder and chaotic - as are most emergency rooms. The chaos seems controlled though, everyone knows where they're going and half the people are smiling and telling jokes - even with some of the patients.

Beatrice gets why this place is special when she’s down here. The energy, the warmth, it’s palpable.

Finding Ava isn’t very hard, she’s at the bullpen like she said, idly chatting with someone behind the desk who makes her laugh.

She’s pretty. Beatrice can be as professional as she wants, but denying the truth is impossible. Ava is actually stunning. With her bright smile and warm eyes, she has a charm to her that is incredibly disarming and so authentic.

Her hands move animatedly when she talks, she bobs and wiggles, her hair bouncing atop her head the entire time.

It’s incredible to think she’s one of the brightest young minds in the medical community, if only because she lets no part of it into her personality.

“Ava?” Beatrice makes herself known, causing Ava to whip around with wide eyes and a grin. “Beatrice! Are you ready for the big tour?”

“I am, if you’re free.”

Ava nods, then takes a few steps to her left where a young man is bent over a keyboard. “You good here, JC?”

“Should be, you’re a bit rambly in this one though.” He holds up what looks to be a tape recorder and taps his finger on the spacebar key.

This makes Ava chuckle. “Yeah, sorry - she was so interesting though! She collects piggy banks, but like…more than just pigs! Apparently it’s a whole thing, it was really cool.”

“Right,” JC says, clearly not as impressed as Ava.

Still, it doesn’t seem to deter her in the slightest as she pulls her lab coat and picks up her stethoscope off the desk before hooking it over her neck. “Alright, let’s get started.”

Ava shuffles out from behind the desk and Beatrice matches her stride. “Who was that?” She asks, looking back again and the man in an orange and white button down with sunglasses on top of his baseball cap working on hospital charts.

“Oh, that’s JC. He does all my charting for me, I’m way too scatterbrained to sit and do my own charting.”

Beatrice balks a bit. “You…you have someone else dictate your charts?”

Ava nods, smiling. “It’s for the best, trust me.”

“So the hospital pays someone to…do your charting?”

“Oh no, are you kidding. Dr. Supes would lose her shit. JC works for me.”

Beatrice isn’t sure what she’s having a harder time comprehending - that Ava hires her own outsider to come in and write out her charts, or that she calls Dr. Superion ‘Supes’.

“You pay him?” Apparently it’s the charts.

Ava nods as she leads them to the first trauma room, which is currently empty. “Yep, I make too much money, why not use it to make my life easier.”

“I - I guess that makes sense.”

“Supes did draw the line at me hiring my own chef to keep our staff fed though, and I would have done it! The food upstairs is great, but we aren’t allowed to bring it down here - I thought-”

“Ava,” Beatrice cuts her off gently. “Are we going to continue to pretend that last night didn’t happen?”

She genuinely wants to know, honestly she kind of hopes that is the case. Ava hasn’t brought it up, or acted at all like it isn’t as legitimately uncomfortable as it should be.

Even Beatrice’s mention of it only makes her laugh. “I could never forget that, Bea. Not every night random chicks in a bathroom hear me come.”

She says it so awfully loud. No one hears it, but still. “Ava, we…you…” Beatrice takes a breath. “I just want to make sure it won’t make things awkward between us. Neither one of us knew we would be working together like this. It was merely a coincidence.”

“Mmhmm, so…you’re about to tell me it absolutely cannot happen again.” She closes the last bit with a horrendous attempt at Beatrice’s accent.

“Precisely.” Beatrice says, not incredibly aware of her own accent.

Ava leans back against a pillar, arms crossed over her chest. Her name tag stocks out a little further as she puffs out her chest (and remembering very well what’s under those scrubs). Beatrice sees the photo on her nametag, her hair is longer, and smile the same.

“Even though we have great chemistry and fucked each other like teenagers in a bathroom?”

Beatrice is not a teenager. She thankfully left those years behind over a decade ago, but the way her body responds to the sound of Ava saying the word ‘fuck’ feels like a nostalgia kick to her initial response to the first time her incredibly attractive geometry teacher showed up to class in a low cut tank top.

It triggers something in her, something unexpected. “If I remember correctly, I was the only one who actually did any work in that bathroom.”

That seems to do it, Ava’s eyes darken, her smile grows and Beatrice can't help but stare at her. “I know where an on-call room is if you want me to return the favor.”

“No,” Beatrice says, her voice still too soft, too intense. “We have work to do, I’ve been hired to help this hospital and that is what I’m going to do. So, if you could, I’d like to take that tour now - see how your triage works, how you streamline patient care.”

“Alright,” Ava pushes off the pillar and starts walking deeper into the ER, her whole energy changing, but not in an entirely unpleasant way. “It’s always busy. We triage patients in the waiting room - anyone brought in by ambulance is given priority. It’s always super fucking cool when a code comes in cause everyone just kinda flows, you know. I rode a guy who fell while rock climbing, from the back of the ambulance all the way upstairs giving chest compressions. Got him up to Chanel and she fixed him up. I felt like a badass.”

Beatrice laughs. “I’m certain it was a special day. Though you might want to think about rephrasing how you tell that story.”

“I mean he was cute, even with the trach tube down his throat and the burn marks where the defib paddles had blasted him like six times. In another situation, I might have rode him for real.”

She can't help her smile, Ava is clearly without shame - but in a way that is endearing instead of disturbing. She just…is. She exists freely, that’s very clear.

She’s also apparently bisexual, which has nothing to do with the job Beatrice is currently supposed to be performing and she scolds herself for even thinking about it. “How many nurses work the ER?”

“Three on shift, Six full time and one part time swing.”

Beatrice frowns. “How many patients do they carry at a time?”

“Two.”

Her footsteps falter. “Two? Two patients per nurse?”

Ava nods, not stopping and Beatrice has to take a few quick steps to keep up. “Yep, Dr. Superion doesn't want her nurses overworked and they basically keep the hospital running.”

“Still that…that must cause clog in the patient flow. Three nurses carrying only two patients at a time.”

“Maybe,” Ava shrugs. “I just know that my nurses are always there, my patients are always being monitored and they never miss a beat. Not to mention they don’t go home mentally broken down and exhausted. Which means they're happy to come to work, which means my patients are happy, and…shouldn’t you be writing this down?”

Beatrice shakes her head. “I have a very good memory.”

“Hmm, that makes sense,” Ava says. “You seem like you’re kind of good at everything.”

“You hardly know me.”

Ava shrugs as they turn a corner, slipping to the side as a nurse pushes a patient down the hall in a wheelchair. “Of all the things we’ve done together, you’ve been very good at them.”

Oh she’s relentless. Beatrice is going to have to work overtime to keep Ava on task. “Let’s stay focused.”

“You got it, boss.”

Beatrice sighs. “Your nurse to patient ratio is incredibly low, you could see more patients per hour if you upped it to four patients per nurse. Improving the flow of patients in and out -”

“Yeah, and cutting each patient's care in half because our nurses are running around twice as much.” Ava counters back and this time she’s the one who stops. “I know the system, why do you think I turn down every offer that comes my way? I don’t want to be a part of the system.”

“But the system is there for a reason.”

Ava scoffs, sounding every bit like a petulant child. “Yeah, to make money. To hell with whether or not a patient feels taken care of or if their needs are fully met - so long as we get their money.”

“It’s not all about that,” Beatrice tries, but she knows her argument won’t go over well.

“To you, to the big wigs in fifteen story hospitals who think in dollar signs and zeroes on the end of their paychecks that is literally all it’s about.”

There’s a passion in Ava’s voice, but also a learned etiquette, like she’s had this argument a dozen times before. “I’m not saying it’s right and I’m not saying it isn’t admirable, but my firm was brought here for a reason,” Beatrice tries to speak softly, she just wants Ava to understand. “This hospital is in debt - it’s crumbling financially and if we can't get more money flowing then there you’re going to be working for a major hospital whether you like it or not, because this one will get absorbed.”

There’s a silence that follows, an uncomfortable and tense silence. Ava looks away, giving Beatrice a pretty long look at her profile. She’s got a sharp little nose, a pouty bottom lip - she’s hard not to look at.

Impossible really.

The tense, coiled muscles in her neck don’t help with the distractions either. “It’s just fucking bullshit,” she says. “People come here needing help, and we have to figure out how to get them that help within the stupid fucking system - like…we have so much here. There is so much we can do to help people. To save people’s lives and make their lives better. Yet we charge them for it, and not small amounts. Life altering amounts of money that we make people pay to what? Earn the right to keep living? Earn the right to wake up every morning without pain or fear or the ability to get out of bed!” Her voice rises, then chokes at the end as she shakes her head, staring hard at an unlit x-ray display on the wall. “I’ll give you everything you need to do your job. You want to tag along with me for the rest of my shift and watch me treat my next patient from intake to bed to discharge? We can do that. But trying to show me the value of the dollar won’t get you very far with me. I get that the hospital needs money and I truly do hope you’re as good at your job as Dr. Superion thinks you are - but I won’t risk my patients, or my people.”

It’s not what she expects. It’s a different side of the Ava Silva she’s seen so far. From the cowboy hat and the easy flirting, to the tardy doctor playing basketball with a patient in her duck socks.

What she sees now is the heart behind her - the reason she does what she does. Ava cares about people, she values life and works very hard to protect it.

Beyond the work and the job and the reason Beatrice is actually here, she can admit that this side of Ava is very attractive.

It’s also becoming apparent by Ava’s newly created distance that she’s starting to see Beatrice as a bit of an enemy to her cause - which is not her intent, but might make her job easier.

“Numbers are my job, Dr. Silva,” she uses her title. She needs this distance, she thinks. They both do. “I will do my best to help you maintain your patient care, but my purpose here is to save this hospital from itself. If I cannot find a way to do that, then there’s a good chance you will lose it.”

Ava looks at her then, quiet and steady, she speaks. “How good are you at your job?”

Beatrice feels the corner of her mouth tick up just a bit. “Very good.”

“Then show me.”

----------------

“Don’t let Lilith fuck with you, you know she gets off on that shit.”

Beatrice sighs, sitting at the small table in her hotel room, looking at her very sad cup of tea.

She called Mary after the first day mostly to vent - Mary is very good at listening and reminding Beatrice to stop overthinking and just handle business.

It’s one of the reasons Mary is so invaluable - she never goes on site, but she motivates. She works with clients from a distance, and also gives incredible support to the rest of her staff.

She also lured Shannon away from practicing, to this side of the business and that gives them a tremendous edge.

Also she’s very nice to have around when Lilith is being a bitch. “I know you’re right, it’s not as if I planned this. I had no idea. Ava-” she stops herself, she has to stop doing that. “Dr. Silva was so young. She is not at all what you might expect.”

“Right, but you like her?”

“What? No!” Beatrice says it way too fast, way too loud. It’s not at all the right answer. “I don’t dislike her, but she’s a client, our relationship goes nowhere beyond that. In fact, calling it a relationship doesn't even fit.”

“But you’ve seen her lady bits?”

Beatrice faults at that. Telling Mary about what happened was easy, Mary has always been Beatrice’s rock when it comes to relationships - she’s the one who helped guide her through accepting all these bits and pieces she’d kept buried for so long.

That apparently doesn’t mean Mary is above giving her hell about a very out of character bathroom tryst. “Fine, yes, she and I were intimate and that does complicate things, but it was made abundantly clear today that we are two very different people.”

“Yet you’re hung up on it enough to call me and complain for forty-five minutes.”

“If I’m bothering you I can-”

“Beatrice, stop,” Mary sounds a little agitated. “I’m not saying that because I don’t want to hear it, or because I think you’re in the wrong. In fact, I think the opposite. I know it’s easier for you now to do the random hook up thing, no strings, no next day awkwardness - you’ve got a system and I get it. Except now that system is fucked and you have to work with this woman and that means you need to figure out how you really feel about her.”

Again with this, Beatrice doesn’t understand why Lilith and Mary are making such a big deal about it. “I don’t feel any way about her, Mary. I don’t know her and beyond this assignment, I won’t know her.”

The silence on the other end lasts so long that Beatrice has to look at her phone to make sure they weren’t disconnected. “Then why did you call me?”

“Because Lilith-”

“Is a variable you’ve always been able to handle.”

Beatrice falters at that, it is odd that Lilith’s sniping has bothered her so much. But this is different, it’s her sex life suddenly thrust into her workplace. “I don’t want to mess this job up,” she says finally. “I’m always so careful, this…this complicates things in ways I didn’t want.”

“I get that, but I also know you and I know how hard you work to keep shit in line so you need to not be so hard on yourself. She’s a big girl, so are you, shit happens. Hoenslty, the fact that she works with you is way less fucking insane to me than the fact that you hooked up with her in a bathroom.”

The odds of Beatrice choking out Lilith the next time she sees her grows by the second. “I cannot believe she told you that.”

“I don’t blame her. Girl, you don’t even like to pee in public bathrooms.”

Which only adds to Beatrice’s worries, Ava’s been in her life all of twenty-four hours and already she’s creating chaos. “It was a lapse in judgment. It was…” she sighs. This is Mary, she can be honest with her. “She’s very pretty.”

Mary snorts. “Yeah, that’ll do it. Listen, dust yourself off, go get something to eat because I know you’re just sitting in your hotel drinking shitty tea and stewing in your guilt or whatever. Don’t do that.”

Her hand stops just before the cup of tea touches her lips. Beatrice looks around the apartment trying to see if there are any cameras around or if Mary just knows her too well. “Alright,” she says, her tea suddenly tasting dull. “Are you sure you don’t want to go over what we learned today? It’s a lot to take in and -”

“Tomorrow, I’m making soup for Shannon tonight and need to get started, you…need to ease into this. You’ve got plenty of time to bury yourself in the numbers.”

It’s so true it’s almost painful. “Very well, enjoy your soup and have a good night, Mary.”

“You too, Bea. Kick Lilly’s ass for me.”

“It’s more likely than you think.” She smiles at Mary’s cackle before they exchange goodbyes and hang up.

Beatrice takes a deep breath and stares out the window, the sun is starting to set, but it’s a much nicer day than it was yesterday and she might not be entirely hungry, but she really should eat.

So she throws out her bad tea and pulls on a turquoise sweater. She considers for a moment knocking on Lilth’s door and seeing if she wants to go, but Beatrice decides she’d prefer some time alone to sort things out in her head.

Of course, that whole idea is completely shattered when she makes it down to the lobby and finds Ava Silva standing there with a big dumb smile on her face.

“Hey, Bea!” She says, waving her over.

Ava is dressed down from her hospital attire. She has on a pair of tan jeans and a white shirt with a few buttons at the top (undone) and flower designs on it.

Her hair is also different, untied and completely free now as it just barely touches her shoulders.

She’s stunning, and also extremely out of place. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you,” Ava says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Beatrice balks. “I - how did you find me?”

“Oh I just assumed.” Beatrice must make a face, because Ava looks a bit sheepish and elaborates. “Well okay, I just remembered you saying you walked to the bar last night, and there are only four hotels in the area within walking distance of that particular bar - two of them are well known for donating to scummy, shitty organizations that stand against everything from gay rights to climate change and you seem the type to research those kinds of things.” Beatrice is starting to wonder if everything about her is so fully on display for the rest of the world. “That left me with two options and the other hotel is an almost fifteen minute walk and there are like three bars between there and the one we met at. So that leaves this one - a five minute walk with only one crosswalk in between and…yeah…I win!” Ava grins so brightly it’s hard for Beatrice to not smile back.

She doesn’t, thankfully. “You figured all that out?”

Ava shrugs. “You know, prodigy, genius, all that shit.” She says it so casually, like it’s not entirely disarming. “You headed out to eat?”

Beatrice’s eyes narrow. “How many levels did you have to go to deduce that?”

“I don’t know, one? It’s six-thirty and you’re in a hotel. Makes sense.”

There’s something so simple about the way she speaks, so soft. So different than the harsh conversation they had in the hospital just hours earlier and the tense tour that followed. At times during that, Beatrice thought that perhaps her view of the world was all it would take to drive Ava away.

Ava, who wants everything to be about people and love and care and lives from her heart.

Compared to Beatrice, who needs stability and reason. Who sees the world in numbers and percentages and levies every risk with equal preparation. She wondered, perhaps, if Ava maybe even regretted the night before.

Now she’s here, looking as charming and delightful as the stranger in the bar who helped her forget all her anxieties.

If anything, maybe this could be Beatrice’s chance to sort all of this out. “I was headed out to eat, yes.”

“I knew it,” Ava winks. “Did you have anywhere in particular in mind?”

“I’m afraid not.”

Ava hums. “Doesn't sound like the Beatrice I know not to do a little research.”

Beatrice catches herself laughing. “You don’t know me at all.”

“Let’s fix that, I know a really nice place nearby, with a varied menu and if we get a window seat we can have a nice view of downtown.”

Caught in a moment of uncertainty, Beatrice suddenly remembers that Ava is a doctor. Despite outward appearances, she probably has fine tastes honed by years of being around the industry and the money and…all of it. “Am I underdressed? I can run up to my room and change if I need to.”

Ava looks her up and down, Beatrice is already prepared to turn on her heel and sprint upstairs. “Nah, I think you’re fine. You might get a little warm with the sweater, but you look good.”

Oh.

“Alright,” she still feels a little uncertain. “Then…do we need to call a car?”

“It’s not far, I love walking through the city, come on.” Ava turns and starts walking, like they’ve done this a thousand times already. No guidance or direction, she just goes and Beatrice follows.

-------------------

“TGI Fridays?”

Ava turns to her and beams, hands extended as if she’s putting the entire restaurant on display. “They have the best loaded potato skins you’ll ever eat, and you get so many!”

Beatrice has never been to a TGI Fridays before. She’s seen the commercials and heard a few things. It’s food in the similar vein of every other restaurant chain. Nothing special, nothing spectacular and certainly not the quality level she’s used to.

Despite leaving her home at a young age, Beatrice retained a few things from her childhood including a bit of a higher quality taste.

Pretentious, as Mary ineloquently puts it. Which is not entirely untrue, but Beatrice likes to think she’s flexible.

“You…come here often?”

Ava turns from where she’s spoken with the lady at the front who is now leading them to a seat. “Yeah, here, Chili’s, Applebees. I love food and places like these give you big portions - not that I’m above a good fast food burger.”

“Right,” Beatrice feels such a wild culture shock.

She can barely hear Ava over the chatter of guests. There are kids shouting and one of the televisions at the bar in the center of the restaurant has a pretty thick crowd of people all gathered around it.

Something happens, she has no idea what, but they cheer and holler and Beatrice turns a full 180 to watch them.

When she refocuses on Ava, they're at a table and Ava slides into the booth before gesturing for her to do the same. “So anything tickling your fancy?”

“Uhm…” Beatrice takes the menu handed to her by the maitre d (unsure if that’s what they’d even be called here) and starts thumbing through it.

It’s so much variety - chicken, burgers and steak. There’s a rib platter called the Foxx on a Roxx Boxx.

She’s afraid she might break her brain trying to sort out why it’s called that. “What are you getting?”

“My go to here; the cheese fry burger.” Ava turns her menu and points with a single finger, nail trimmed - Beatrice hates herself for noticing. “They literally put cheese fries on the burger. It’s insanely good.”

The picture is entirely unappealing. So much sauce and gooey cheese. It’s too much.

“Right, I -” Beatrice skims through and finds something that at least looks simple. “I’ll go with the chicken, broccoli alfredo.”

Ava beams, “such a good choice. When Camila and I come, that's what she gets!”

Before any more conversation can be had, a waitress comes by. “Alright can I start you off with drinks?”

“Actually we’re ready to go all in.”

“Oh wonderful,” the waitress can't be a day over twenty-two.

Ava gestures to Beatrice, “oh right um…I’ll have the broccoli alfredo and just water, please.”

“Aw come on, Bea. You don’t want a milkshake?”

Beatrice frowns. “With alfredo?”

“Milkshakes go good with anything, right…Shelby?” Ava looks at her nametag, then gives the young waitress a wink, which immediately makes her flush.

“I know I never say no to a milkshake.”

She’s not entirely sure why, but Beatrice is suddenly tired of Shelby. “Water please.” She hands over her menu and Ava sighs.

“We tried, Shelbs. Loaded cheese fry burger for me, chocolate shake.” She gives her menu with a smile and Shelby nods and scurries off.

Beatrice watches her go before turning back to find Ava grinning at her. “You’re prickly.”

“I am not.” Beatrice deflects, sounding entirely prickly. “I’m…” she sighs. “Fine, perhaps I’m being short. But you must admit all of this is a bit much.”

“TGI Fridays? It’s like the opposite of too much, that’s why I come here. No dress code, no etiquette. Just people.”

Ava leans back on the booth, her arms resting on the back of it comfortably. “You enjoy people, don’t you.”

“Most of them. Not everyone is worth my time, but I spent a lot of my life never being given a chance. So I go out of my way to give others the benefit of the doubt.”

Something twinges in Beatrice’s stomach. “Including me?” She says and Ava tilts her head to the side curiously. “I got the feeling I offended you today.”

Ava waves her hand from side to side. “You didn’t, work talk is…whatever. I hate the system, and you work in the system - but that doesn't mean I hate you specifically. You’re just doing your job.” She reaches to the side of the table, grabbing a handful of sugar packets and swatting them back and forth on her hand absentmindedly. “You’re passionate about it, which I appreciate - and you’re hot.”

Beatrice snorts. “That hardly seems a good reason for morale distortion.”

“Depends on what I’m going for, I suppose.” There’s an edge to her voice, a depth that catches the little tingle in the back of Beatrice’s throat. “You said it yourself, only one of us got off last night.”

“Ava,” Beatrice puts on her warning tone. The same tone that can even shut Lilith down.

It only makes Ava grin. “Are you telling me that if we weren’t working together - if I was just Ava Silva, rando chick you met at a TGI Fridays-”

“I would never be here if I hadn't met you first.”

“We’re roleplaying, Bea.”

Beatrice’s eyes narrow. “Roleplaying?”

“Yeah, if I wasn't a doctor and you weren’t a…doctor firm…consultant hottie.” Beatrice rolls her eyes. “Just a regular, run of the mill hottie. Are you telling me that you wouldn't be interested in round two?” Ava taps her fingers on the table. “I can insert a central line faster than anyone else in the state.”

“Are there competitions for that?” Before Ava can answer, Beatrice finds another flaw in this flirting. “Also I thought you weren’t a doctor in this roleplay.”

Ava falters just a bit there, her mouth opening and closing a few times like a fish - it’s very cute. “Alright fair, maybe I rely a little too much on that good hands line.”

“Does it work often?” Beatrice has no idea why she’s flirting back. She specifically came here to get across her point that they couldn’t do this. Now she’s here staring across at Ava and her brain is suddenly being overruled by the fact that she hasn’t had a good orgasm in almost six months.

It’s the smile, Beatrice realizes. She really likes Ava’s smile. “It’s gotten me this far.” That’s when she feels the foot brushing up against her ankle under the table.

It makes her jump, so much that the table rocks just in time for Shelby to come back with their drinks.

Ava says nothing, just starts talking with Shelby again before diving into her enormous milkshake - even getting a big metal cup on the side for the runoff.

When they're alone again, Ava’s keeping her foot to herself, but this time she’s scooped a bit of shake onto a spoon. “You want to try it?” She holds it out and Beatrice looks up to see Ava has a little on her lip and wipes it away with her tongue.

It’s…a lot. It’s also entirely unsubtle and audacious.

It is also working.

Dammit to hell.

“How relentless will you be if I say no?”

She really doesn’t mean it as a multi-layered question, but Ava’s eyes soften a little. “I may not be subtle, but I can promise I’m not pushy. I just think good things should be shared.”

Beatrice eyes the spoon, then Ava, then Ava’s lips.

She takes a breath, forces herself to stop overthinking and leans forward to wrap her lips around the spoon.

Ava’s eyes widen just a bit as she does, as if she really hadn't been expecting it.

There’s something about her that Beatrice can't quite figure out. She’s different. It’s the most obvious thing in the world really. The way Dr. Silva was talked about in the preliminary research on this hospital, Beatrice expected someone older. Someone serious and dedicated. Someone who took in the world with very precise steps.

In a lot of ways, Beatrice expected someone a lot like her.

Instead, Ava is a beaming ray of light. She draws people to her, just like Shelby who seemed half giddy just to bring their meals to them and have the chance to talk to Ava again.

The obvious things are there. She’s gorgeous, she’s charming, she’s extremely fit (which is hard to believe as Beatrice watches her shovel a burger the size of her fist into her mouth).

Then she grins, with little bits of gooey cheese on the corners of her mouth and wiggles a bit in the booth - like she’s having this for the first time when Beatrice knows that isn’t true.

It’s a mistake, she knows it’s a mistake. This job is going to be hard and the early odds are not at all in favor of them actually being able to save this hospital. Meaning she’ll be the one to tell them to sell. She’ll be the one to tell Ava that she has to find somewhere else to work - to take away a place Ava clearly cares about.

This entire situation is going to blow up in her face and could possibly ruin her entire career.

Yet, when Ava sips on her milkshake and meets her eyes with a little smile at the corner of her mouth, Beatrice can't find a reason to care.

“Do you enjoy dessert?” She asks, not at all good at this part. It reminds her of tennis. She was always much better at returning than serving.

Ava nods. “Milkshake,” she holds up the cup.

Right.

“I think I’d like some dessert,” Beatrice tries again, watching Ava’s smile grow. She sees Ava reaching for the little dessert menu at the side of the table and realizes she’ll have to leave subtlety at the door.

So Beatrice lifts her leg and brushes the tip of her shoe against Ava’s thigh, causing her to lock up and drop the menu in her hand.

“Oh,” she says, meeting Beatrice’s eyes again. “You mean…”

“Assuming you’re alright with a nightcap?”

Ava swallows like she has a lump in her throat and nods. “My schedule is clear.”

Beatrice nods, easing her fork into her alfredo for the first time as she feels Ava stealing glances at her.

Perhaps TGI Friday’s isn’t so bad after all.

Chapter Text

“It really is beautiful here,” Beatrice takes a deep breath enjoying the cool evening air as the sun continues to set and color the skyline in a beautiful mixture of orange and purple.

Ava’s at her side, with her every step with her hands behind her back as she walks. “The mountains in the background really sell it, I think. Has the altitude gotten to you at all?”

Beatrice shakes her head. “Not particularly, I’ve yet to really push myself during a workout while I”ve been here though, so perhaps it might then.”

“Ah, you workout then?” Ava gives her a smirk.

Beatrice rolls her eyes. “I do, regularly.”

“Hmm, bet you eat healthy too, huh?”

“I try my best.”

Ava laughs. “So me taking you to TGI Friday’s probably isn’t what you’re used to.”

“It was fine,” as much as she hates to admit it - it was fine. Not something she would ever go out of her way to eat again, but it wasn't disastrous. “You’re well fit, you must do something,” Beatrice looks her up and down.

This makes Ava laugh. “Yeah, work.” Beatrice watches as she gathers her hair in her hands and pushes it back after a bit of a breeze flutters through it. It’s rather hard to look away. “I walk all day, I climb stairs. I sometimes have to run codes which are like burning calories through stress. And sure I lift weights sometimes when Dora manages to guilt me into going with her - but mostly I just assume I had good genetics.”

The wording is odd, assuming her genetics. Still, Beatrice isn’t about to push it. “Who’s Dora?”

“She’s an RN, fucking buff dude, like…holy shit. We don’t even need to call security sometimes for rowdy patients, we just let Dora handle it.” They reach the front entrance of the hotel - it’s just not a very long walk - but Beatrice doesn’t really want Ava to leave. “Maybe we could workout sometime.”

It’s not subtle, but it’s enough. “At the hospital, we must remain professional.”

Ava grins, it’s wicked and charming. She has the kind of smile that small tragedies are created by. “I’m never professional,” Ava reaches out past Beatrice and opens the large glass door of the hotel. Which in turn, presses her chest into Beatrice's shoulder. “But if you want me to fuck you silly here and never mention a word of it there, I can do that.”

She does. God help her; she wants Ava to ruin her. “We have to be careful.” Beatrice steps inside, feeling Ava follow behind her.

“I already told you I won’t say anything.”

“No, not that, Lilith.”

“Oh right, your doberman.”

Beatrice looks back at her with a frown. “My what?”

“Oh come on, she’s got watchdog written all over her. Straight spine, ears perked, I bet she circles when she shits, too.”

“What are you even talking about?”

Ava laughs. “I’m just saying, she was very clearly sizing me up all day today. As soon as she figured out we hooked up she looked at me like I was a threat to her entire existence.”

It’s not entirely inaccurate. “She’s rough around the edges, and loves to snipe at people. She has a short temper and zero patience. She’s also quite full of herself and -”

“Jesus fuck, I keep waiting for the ‘but’ and you keep making her sound like satan.”

Beatrice sighs as they reach the elevator, tapping the button as they wait. “She is,” Beatrice confirms. “She’s a nightmarish terror, but she is my nightmarish terror.”

“So if we get caught and this fucks you guys over and cost you this job…”

They step into the elevator, empty, and when the door closes Beatrice grabs Ava by the collar of her shirt and tugs her down for a kiss. It’s passionate, intense and she can feel Ava grasping at her back.

When it breaks, Beatrice reaches up and brushes her finger over Ava’s pouty bottom lip. “If that happens, Lilith might actually kill you.”

“Aw, Bea…you wouldn't protect me?” Ava’s hand dips down and squeezes Beatrice’s butt.

It sends a jolt up her spine.

The elevator dings again and Beatrice takes a step back.

She doubts Lilith will just be roaming the halls, she’s not even sure if Lilith is still here - she didn’t look for their rental car in the parking lot.

Still, it’s better to be safe so she power walks down the halls to her room with Ava in tow trying to keep up.

Once they reach her room, Beatrice pulls her keycard out of her back pocket and slips it through the slot.

As it beeps, Ava is suddenly against her again pressing into her back as they tumble into the room.

Before the door even clicks shut, Ava spins her around and kisses her again.

They stumble backwards until Beatrice’s lower back hits something and a lamp rattles and nearly falls over.

She doesn't care though, because Ava tastes like the chocolate mints she grabbed at the front desk of the restaurant and ate on their way home. Because Ava and her skilled hands are climbing up the front of her top and dancing against the tender skin of her stomach.

Her tongue is currently dancing across Ava’s as she hears a series of soft moans from the back of Ava’s throat.

She’s noisy, which is not great considering she shares a wall with Lilith, but at this point she simply doesn’t care.

Lilith can come in and watch if she’s so interested, right now all Beatrice wants to do is strip Ava naked and spend the next few hours reveling in her.

The one problem with that plan however, is that Ava is already pulling Beatrice’s shirt up over her head. “Arms,” Ava says, as the kiss breaks.

Beatrice lifts her arms up over her head as the shirt comes off and the air conditioned room prickles goosebumps on her skin.

She hardly has time to register them though, because Ava’s lips are on her neck a second later.

Ava is aggressive, intense, her teeth pressing down on the juncture of Beatrice’s neck. “Lower,” Beatrice says. “Mark me, but not where anyone can see.”

“Okay,” Ava hums against her skin, lips skimming down just below her collar bone. “Here?”

Beatrice nods, pressing her hand into the back of Ava’s head.

From there, she feels Ava’s teeth sink into her skin, not enough to break the skin, but they’ll leave a mark. Then her tongue is there, running back and forth over the spot she’s left behind.

“Good,” Beatrice lets out a soft moan, enough to make Ava’s throat rumble delightfully. Then Ava keeps moving, her mouth on the top of Beatrice’s breasts, covered only by her tan bra that now has Ava’s skilled fingers working the clasp.

It comes apart in one motion, loosening on her shoulders before it falls away and she’s naked form the waist up.

Ava leans back a bit, looking at her, head shaking. “Fucking shit, Bea. You’re amazing.” Ava meets her eyes and Beatrice grins.

“I told you I worked out.”

This makes Ava laugh. “An honest woman, I like it.”

Arms wrap around her waist as Ava turns her, guiding her to another side of the hotel room and eventually Beatrice finds herself pressed against the entryway to the bathroom. She leans against it, feeling Ava sink down low and take one of her breasts into her mouth.

The warmth of Ava’s mouth clashes deliciously with the coolness of the room. She feels Ava’s tongue swirl around her hardened nipple - fingers digging into her hips.

When Ava bites down on it, Beatrice gasps for air.

“I want to fuck you,” Ava says as she pulls back, tilting her head to bite down on Beatrice’s side. “I’m going to,” she runs her fingers up Beatrice’s back, then rakes them down sharply.

Beatrice, already writhing under the touches, grabs Ava’s hair and pulls her away. “Then do it.” She says and Ava nods, eyes dark before her fingers start unlatching Beatrice’s belt.

It slips through the loops easily and Ava tosses it back into the room. Beatrice hears it land somewhere, she’ll be looking for it in the morning.

Then the button on her slacks come undone and together they shimmy them down her legs.

Now Beatrice is left only in her briefs, Ava basically on her knees as she looks up at her. “So hot,” Ava says, almost to herself, before she kisses Beatrice’s lower abdomen and then grabs the waistband of her briefs with her teeth.

She pulls them back, then lets go so they snap on Beatrice’s skin. She hisses, almost a growl and when she looks at Ava she can tell that’s exactly what she was going for.

“Don’t tease me,” Beatrice warns, but there’s very little real anger behind it.

Ava seems to notice this, almost looking playful before she hooks her fingers under the briefs and tugs then down.

Beatrice steps out of them hurriedly and Ava throws them aside as she has everything else.

Now Beatrice is naked, looking down at Ava who is still fully dressed and on her knees.

“Your pussy is really pretty, Bea. Has anyone ever told you that?”

“Ava.”

“Mmm,” Ava runs her hands up the back of Beatrice’s thighs, squeezing her butt. “Looks even better when it's all wet like this. Just for me.” Ava kisses just next to it.

Teasing.

“Ava.”

“All business Bea, dripping for me.” Ava glides her finger through Beatrice’s lips, gathering up the mess. “Tell me what you want.”

There’s a part of her that wants to resist. She’s not usually matched so well in these situations. Beatrice takes what she needs, gives even more in return, but she’s always in control.

This though, Ava, is the first one she can remember who feels on her level.

“Please fuck me,” Beatrice says, she isn’t sure if she’s ever begged for anything. “Make me come, please make me - ah!”

Ava doesn’t hesitate, she runs a stipe up Beatrice’s cunt with her tongue before latching onto her clit and setting the pace.

Beatrice reaches up, grabbing onto the doorframe to keep steady as Ava continues to lap at her clit again and again.

She can feel the flood of it rushing down her lower abdomen, she’s dripping and her hips are canting back and forth.

Ava, to her credit, manages to keep herself connected and doesn’t miss a beat.

The next thing Beatrice knows, she feels a single finger slide inside of her so easily it’s almost sinful. She shudders, moaning as it echoes off the bathroom walls.

Her orgasm starts to boil over then, rising faster and faster with each pump of Ava’s finger she feels. The sounds, it’s vulgar, she can hear just how turned on she is.

When Ava seals her lips around Beatrice’s clit, she falls over the edge. She comes hard, her hips pressing forward as she tangles a hand in Ava’s hair to keep her where she needs her.

She takes, god help her she takes so much from Ava in this moment because it feels so good.

The orgasm rides out for as long as it can before she settles down. Ava is still down there, helping her through it.

Beatrice pulls Ava up by the hair, needing to let her body relax but knowing full well that she is far from done.

Instead, she helps Ava up to her feet, legs still shaking as their eyes meet.

Ava’s a beautiful mess. Her hair is everywhere, her chin is glistening and that little smile is ever present.

“You,” Beatrice tries, her voice still strained from how hard it was to breathe the entire time Ava was going down on her.

So instead she just kisses her, tasting herself on Ava’s tongue.

It took her a long time to get here, but Beatrice is no prude. Once she finally let herself enjoy her sexuality and the benefits that came with it, Beatrice discovered a lot about herself.

She’s passionate, intense and when she lets go and sinks into the moment, her limits stretch out further and further.

Ava makes her head spin. Ava makes her body tingle.

Ava makes her want to fall apart. “Can I tie you to the headboard?” She asks into Ava’s lips.

The kiss breaks apart, Ava looking at her with wide eyes and a curious smile. “You’re wild in the sack, aren’t you?”

“If you’re not comfortable with it-”

“Tell me what you want.” Ava says again, Beatrice relaxes a little.

“My belt around your wrists, hands tied above your head. I want to see how long you can hold on.”

Ava hums. “You want to edge me?”

Beatrice shakes her head, putting her hands up the back of Ava’s thighs and pulling their bodies close together. Feeling Ava’s jeans against her skin. “I want to enjoy you.”

This time when they move, it’s because Ava needs space to get undressed. She doesn't make it sexy, but Beatrice is pretty sure she doesn’t have to.

Ava is stunning. Her body is a marvel. A firm waist, strong arms and legs, the most magnificent set of breasts Beatrice has ever seen and she moves like she knows it.

The only blemish are scars along her back, surgical and deep - she’s clearly not shy about them. Not hiding them or warning Beatrice away.

Despite their jagged nature, Beatrice finds beauty in them as much as the rest of her.

When she steps out of her jeans, Ava kicks them away, landing them almost perfectly on the desk chair Beatrice sits in to work.

That leaves her in her underwear, looking like she stepped out of a dirty magazine with her hair tousled and her face still wearing traces of Beatrice’s wetness.

Beatrice steps over to where her belt had been discarded and picks it up, watching Ava reach behind her to unhook her bra.

“Don’t,” Beatrice says, her business voice coming out firmly. “On the bed, I’ll take care of the rest.”

The way Ava shudders does not go unnoticed.

She watches Ava crawl onto the bed, then roll over onto her back and raise her hands above her head.

Beatrice steps around to the side, grabbing both Ava’s hands and pressing them together

She loops the belt around her wrists, then slides it through the latch and tightens it before using the excess to pull it up towards the headboard.

From there, she calls to her knot making skills and does the best she can with what little she has left to work with.

It’s enough though, Beatrice never met a skill she couldn’t master. Including this next part.

“Too tight?” She asks, no matter how murky her brain gets when she’s turned on, she will always take her partner's comfort into account.

“No, it’s okay.” For the first time since she’s met her, Ava sounds breathless.

Beatrice nods, then finishes securing the belt.

Ava is lying there, hands tied, legs stretched out and on full display. Her bra is a simple white, it’s not lacey or sexy - it’s designed to keep someone comfortable through the day.

It’s a reminder that Ava is a grown woman with a career just like she is. Strangely, that thought more than anything else makes Beatrice’s tension fade.

Leaning down, Beatrice begins her slow approach of lavishing Ava’s chest. She starts between her breasts, just running her tongue up and down the space there, her fingers dipping beneath the cups of her bra and pulling one down.

She draws back, taking in the sight of Ava’s hardened nipple and running her thumb over it. “These,” Beatrice says, working to set the other one free as well. “These are incredible.”

“Bea,” Ava whispers her name, and that’s the first time Beatrice hears the belt straining from Ava’s arms.

Gently, Beatrice runs the flat of her tongue over Ava’s nipple. She then swirls around the pebbled tip, feeling the prickly skin against her.

Ava arches upward, needing more, but Beatrice takes her time. She wants to enjoy this. Every inch of her.

As she continues to pay very close attention to Ava’s breasts, her hands are free to roam and touch wherever they can reach.

She starts on Ava’s thigh, climbing upward towards her hip and wrapping her hand around it. Ava’s waist is tight, firm, small enough that Beatrice can get a very good grip on it and hold her steady.

Which is exactly what she does as she puts one of Ava’s breasts in her mouth and sucks on it. Ava cries out, again tugging on the belt with no avail.

Beatrice pins her down, holds her hips to the mattress with a decent amount of effort as Ava continues to writhe beneath her. When she finishes with one, she moves to the other, savoring the feeling of Ava’s skin on her tongue.

Only when she’s finished does she let go, and only then do her hands move again. They go up first, tracing over Ava’s surprisingly toned stomach. Her touches are feather soft, making Ava shiver as she draws small, unknowing patterns on her.

At this point, Ava is practically whining and begging for release.

Beatrice looks up, seeing Ava with her eyes closed, face scrunched up tight only to soften when Beatrice ghost her fingertips over Ava’s pussy above her panties.

This might just be the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen.

It’s a tipping point, because for as much as Beatrice wants to tease her, she also really wants to see Ava come again.

So Beatrice pushes her hand beneath Ava’s panties and finds her soaked through and ready. The first contact makes Ava moan, hips bucking upward towards the pleasure.

Beatrice runs firm, consistent circles over her clit, not teasing or testing, she’s too enraptured watching Ava’s face as she cycles through the pleasure and her desperate chase for release.

“Inside, please inside. Please.”

She’s happy to oblige, two fingers slide through into Ava’s heat and her thumb takes over on her clit. From there, she leans down and kisses Ava to catch the gasps and moans she’s letting free. They rumble inside her own mouth, hot and vibrant - Ava is crumbling beautifully.

The tugs of her hands trying to reach for something are so sharp that the headboard is actually creaking. The bed is rocking with Ava’s body moving so much as Beatrice works her up and up and up and then-

“Oh fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck,” she comes much quieter than Beatrice expects. It’s as if her body had nothing left to give but her legs start to tense and bend, like they're trying to capture Beatrice’s arm and keep it there forever.

Beatrice lets herself be twisted. She lets Ava wrap her up and hold her there, slowly continuing to move her fingers in and out of Ava as she comes down.

“Okay,” Ava whispers. “Okay okay.”

When Beatrice’s fingers slide out of her, Ava whimpers.

She counts to ten before lying down next to Ava, still tied up, and calls out to her. “Open your eyes for me.” She says and watches with delight as Ava finds her. “Now your mouth.”

Shakily, Ava nods and then her lips part. As they do, Beatrice traces her sticky fingers across them, then dips them inside and feels Ava’s tongue twirl against them.

As Ava tastes herself, Beatrice reaches up and unhooks the belt. It doesn't take much before Ava is yanking her hands free and wrapping them around Beatrice’s back.

“You’re…” Ava takes a deep breath. “You hide all of this very well under your button downs and hair buns.”

Beatrice laughs, still laying on top of Ava, looking down at her. “I know what I want.”

“Do you want to go again?”

That logical part of her brain is trying to tell her to end it here. To send Ava home and take a shower and go to bed because she has to work tomorrow - because Ava’s hospital is in dire straits and needs her at her best.

The problem is that the rest of her is pressed down on top of Ava - their chests squished together and Ava’s knee pressing between her legs.

The logical part of her brain has no chance. “I do.”

“Okay,” Ava says, then kisses her once. “We should drink some water first, otherwise we’ll be cramping and you actually have better orgasms when you’re properly hydrated.” Beatrice catches herself laughing, charmed again by Ava. “Doctor’s orders.” Ava finishes, hand running slowly up and down Beatrice’s back.

------------------------

As is her habit, Beatrice wakes up about fifteen minutes before her alarm is set to go off.

Her body feels heavy, loose and tingly - it’s not a bad way to wake up.

She extends her legs out, stretching them beneath the covers, only to feel her feet smack against something solid and warm.

Beatrice jolts upright, turning sharply as her hair flutters across her face to find Ava lying down beside her.

Ava’s naked, on her stomach and those same scars she noticed last night are just starting to peek out from under the covers.

She stayed the night, Beatrice feels stupid for not remembering - they wore themselves out last night. It was long and intense and, as Ava stated at one point, they railed each other.

Not wanting to sound dramatic, Beatrice won’t go as far as to express that it was the best she’s ever had.

It was, but she will not express this.

Still, this is not what she wants. In fact, this is the exact opposite of what she wants with Ava. Because Ava is here and it’s morning and in about thirty minutes Lilith is going to be knocking on her door asking if she wants breakfast or coffee and Lilith won’t stand outside like a normal human and make sure Beatrice is decent. No, she’ll barge in and examine the room like a welfare check.

Looking for exactly this.

“Ava?” Beatrice calls out, trying and failing not to be attracted to the way she hums and smacks her lips.

“What…” Ava opens her eyes, clearly taken back by the pillows under her head. “Fuck, I’m not in my bed.”

Beatrice rolls her eyes. “Clearly.”

Ava looks up at her, the confused expression shifting to a grin. “Morning, Bea.”

“Good morning, you have to go.”

This makes Ava laugh. “Wow, hit it and quit it…oh,” Ava shivers a bit. “You feel all tingly too?”

God yes. “I do not feel terrible.”

“You’re a seductress, Bea.”

Beatrice pushes the blankets off and swings her legs over the bed. She’s naked, of course, and the air conditioning unit ran on and off throughout the night so she’s also cold.

As Beatrice picks up her scattered clothing, Ava remains on the bed, now propped up on her elbows as she watches Beatrice move around the room. “You have to get up, Ava.”

“Why? My shift doesn’t start until nine.” Then Ava hisses. “Oh damn, you did some damage last night, Bea.”

Beatrice frowns, looking at Ava as she puts her clothing from yesterday in her designated travel laundry bag before she turns and sees Ava clutching her wrist.

There’s a mark wrapped entirely around it, nothing too noticeable, but certainly a blossoming bruise. “Looks to me like you couldn’t keep your hands still last night.”

“And these?” Ava pulls the sheet down just enough to reveal two deep red hickeys near her collarbone, then it goes lower - exposing her breasts, making Beatrice’s lower body clench before she sees another mark on Ava’s hip.

Seeing these, remembering how they got there and how Ava felt in her arms, on her tongue, does nothing to dissuade the tension building inside of her. “We need to get you out of here.”

“For your sake?”

She’s a dreadful tease. “Lilith will be knocking on my door at any moment and I do not want to deal with that whole mess and trust me when I say, you do not either.”

Ava laughs. “She’s a little scary, huh?”

“No, she’s a sadist who enjoys being right about everything and I, for one, do not want to hear her pry on and on about this.”

All the while she’s talking, Beatrice is cleaning up the mess they made last night and gathering Ava’s clothes to help get her out the door as quickly as possible.

Which is all well and good except Ava is still just sitting in bed. “Ava?” Beatrice puts a little bass in her voice and, naturally, it only earns her a cheeky grin.

“Can we do this again?”

There’s a spark of joy in her chest that Beatrice is quietly hoping might be a heart attack - because sparks of any kind are against the rules.

Though a heart attack probably wouldn't do her much good being in the room with one of the best doctors in the four corners.

Beatrice makes her wait, she’s not really sure why, but it’s entertaining to watch Ava’s curiosity dip just a bit to uncertainty. “We can,” she says. “However, we cannot if you do not get up and get out of here before-”

There are suddenly three sharp pounds on Beatrice’s door. “Beatrice?” Lilith’s muffled voice comes from outside.

“Woof woof,” Ava says with far too much delight in her eyes.

“Get in the closet!” Beatrice whispers, so sharply she sounds like a snake.

Ava has no choice but to scramble out of bed when Beatrice rips the sheets away from her. “I haven’t been in the closet in like fifteen years, Bea!”

“Ava!”

“Alright, alright,” Ava, completely naked, stumbles through the room and slips into the closet just as Lilith knocks on the door again.

“Just a moment!” Beatrice tries to sound as even as possible, not letting off just how annoying Lilith is being.

Once Ava, who Beatrice tossed a towel at to cover herself, has safely tucked herself into the closet, Beatrice puts on her robe and ties it synch tight around herself before she goes to let Lilith in, only to then see Ava’s clothes sitting on the bed. She scoops them up, racing to the closet.

When she opens the door, Ava grins at her, readying to say something, but Beatrice throws her clothes at her, hitting Ava in the face before shutting the closet door again.

Finally, she gets the door open and Lilith is standing there, still in her own robe, looking a bit like Count Dracula as she leers with a frown. “What took you so long?”

Beatrice sighs. “It’s early, Lilith, why are you here? We don’t have to be there for another hour.”

“I heard voices. Were you talking to someone?”

“I was,” Beatrice goes for the first name on her mind. “Shannon.”

“You were speaking to Shannon at five in the morning?”

Her brain short circuits for a moment, then for some reason she vaguely remembers when Mary used to pay for a VPN when she traveled to the west so that she could still watch her shows two hours earlier when they aired. “Time zone.” She blurts out. “It’s already seven there.”

If Beatrice was the kind of person who said ‘ha!’ this would be a moment.

Sadly, she is not.

“Right, what did Shannon need to speak with you about so early?”

“Nothing work related,” Beatrice says, stepping back into her room, hoping maybe Lilith will take the hint and go, instead, Lilith follows her inside. “Her internet was acting up, I guided her through a few steps to reset it.”

Lilith doesn’t know a damn thing about the working of the wifi internet or anything related to it. All she knows about it is how to complain when it isn’t fast enough for her. “I see,” Lilith takes a long look around the room. “This place is a mess.”

“I didn’t invite you in to judge my hotel room, Lilith. In fact, I didn’t invite you in at all. It’s early, I haven’t even showered yet. Can we continue this downstairs in an hour?”

When Lilith’s eyes narrow on her, Beatrice can't help but imagine her with sharp ears and a collar.

Doberman.

Interesting.

“Alright,” she says, chin held up. “That’s a very cute sock you have on your bathroom floor.”

Beatrice’s head whips around and sees a lone sock on the floor, covered in little yellow ducks.

Shit.

Before she can defend herself, or make up some story about how comfortable and soft Ava’s pair looked that she immediately raced out and bought her own, Lilith is already gone.

When the door shuts behind her, Beatrice takes a deep breath and exhales.

Only to then hear a very distinct vibration coming from the closet.

Three long strides and she rips the closet door open to find Ava, now in only a t-shirt and panties, fumbling with Beatrice’s vibrator. “Ava!”

“I’m sorry!” She’s on the edge of bursting out laughing. “How the fuck do I turn this off?!”

Beatrice reaches out, grabbing it and tapping the button on the bottom once. When it stops, she refocuses her glare on Ava who is grinning from ear to ear.

“Don’t.” Beatrice points a finger at her and Ava puts her hands up in surrender. “You really should go.” She softens her voice, not wanting Ava to take it all too personally. This morning has just been…a lot.

Thankfully, Ava nods. “You’re probably right. I can crash at home for a bit before my shift.” She steps out of the closet, moving as she does to climb into her pants.

Beatrice discards her…device onto the bed before moving to the bathroom to pick up Ava’s sock.

When she brings it back to her, Ava is almost fully dressed.

Holding up the sock, Ava grabs both it and Bea’s hand, then pulls her in for a kiss.

It’s intense, as all of their kisses have been. Deep and passionate, if it had lasted a single second longer, Beatrice would be pulling Ava onto the bed.

Instead, Ava steps back, lips bruised red and sock in hand.

She slips it on before moving to grab her shoes that were too close to the door for Lilith to see.

Maybe.

Beatrice has no idea at this point. “So I’ll see you at the hospital?”

“Perhaps, Lilith and I will be upstairs going over everything today. Talking with our people back at the office and figuring out our gameplan.”

Ava nods, propping her leg up on a chair by the table looking out the window to tie her shoes. “Okay, well my shift ends at six if you want to grab a bite?”

“Another five star establishment?”

“Could be,” Ava shrugs. “Do you like Chinese food?”

Beatrice nods. “I do, you’re not thinking of Panda Express I hope.”

The smile Ava gives her is incredibly charming. “No, c’mon Bea. I’m a doctor. I won’t take you to a drive thru - unless that’s your thing.”

“Do I ever get to buy you dinner?”

With her shoes on properly, Ava steps up next to Beatrice. With her fully dressed and Beatrice in her robe, the power balance feels like it shifts a little.

Beatrice catches herself melting just a little when Ava grabs the tie of her robe and pulls their bodies together. “Didn’t know you wanted to.”

Try as she might, Beatrice can't keep the breath she takes from coming out a little shaky. “It’s only fair.”

Ava kisses her cheek. “Next time is on you then.”

Shortly after, Ava leaves and Beatrice watches her go, standing in her robe as Dr. Ava Silva strolls out of her door and turns right. “It’s the other way!” Beatrice calls out and the door closes just in time for Ava to turn, shouting a ‘thanks!’ before it clicks shut.

Charming.

---------------

Leaning back, Beatrice cracks her neck and takes a breath deep into her lungs. It’s not proper breathing technique, but sometimes she just needs to feel the tension.

It’s been a long morning, painfully so and as they inch closer to noon there is still so much paperwork to go through.

What makes it even worse is that Lilith has not said a single word about this morning.

Not that that means she hasn’t spent the entirety of the day complaining, but it’s only been about work.

“There are discrepancies here.” Lilith says, holding stacks of papers in both hands. She sets one down, clicking on her laptop for a second before scanning the papers again. “Extended hospital stays with billing information that doesn’t match.”

Beatrice shrugs, rolling up the sleeves of her shirt. “Perhaps it’s just an accounting issue. Their accountant seems a bit-”

“Incompetent?”

“I was going to stay strung out, but…” well she’s not entirely wrong. “If you think it’s a genuine issue, you should go speak to him.”

She watches Lilith’s face curl up in disgust. “We really should have Mary come down - she’s better at people than we are.”

“I’m fine with people, you just refuse to make inroads.”

That is entirely the wrong thing to say because Lilith’s gaze trickles over to her. “Yes, I know well enough what kinds of inroads you’ve made.”

“Took you long enough.”

Lilith rolls her eyes. “Forgive me if I actually want to get some work done today and not discuss your tryst with the benevolent Dr. Silva.”

“It’s nothing,” Beatrice says, because shutting down will forever be her defense mechanism. “It certainly hasn’t gotten in the way of our job - despite what you may want to believe.”

“I don’t think that,” Lilith sets her papers down and even goes as far as to close her laptop. “I just think you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.”

They are fast reaching Beatrice’s quota of handling Lilith’s judgment. “I’m not setting myself up for anything. I’m also not discussing this with you.”

“Fine,” Lilith stands up then, grabbing a few papers. “I’m going to take these to the accounting department, then break for lunch.”

It’s never ceased to amaze her how Lilith can poke just enough to be irritating and then act as if nothing’s happened.

Still, Beatrice is thankful for the reprieve. “Alright. I want to go over the insurance numbers when we come back.

The only response she gets is an over the shoulder wave as Lilith leaves.

Beatrice sighs, unbuttoning the top two buttons of her shirt before twisting her stiff neck once more. She really does need to be out of this room for a bit.

So she makes her way downstairs, not entirely sure where she’s going. She knows there’s a few places nearby - a little cafe where she could grab a sandwich.

Before she can make any type of decision however, she spots Ava lingering outside.

She’s alone, sitting on the edge of a decorative fountain, the cement patterned to look like flowers blooming along the side.

Ava’s jacket is off, resting at her side as she looks off at seemingly nothing. Her hair is tied up behind her head in a ponytail, strands hanging loose across her face.

It makes her look surprisingly young.

The rational part of Beatrice’s mind tells her to leave her alone - it’s not her responsibility to make sure a grown woman, a doctor, is okay - but her feet have other ideas.

Before she can even process it fully, she’s moving closer to her. “Ava?” She calls out and Ava doesn’t jump, just flicks her eyes over and smiles.

“Hey, Bea. Wasn't sure Superion would let you out of your cage today.”

Beatrice frowns. “Dr. Superion has no dictation over how much we work.”

“Don’t tell her that, she’s convinced she has dictation over anyone who steps in her hospital.” There’s the same playfulness in Ava’s voice, it feels almost like a default setting - but there’s something else.

Something softer. “Are you alright?”

Ava’s smile falters just a little. “Fine, I’m…” she sighs, then laughs gently. “One of my favorite patients came in today, which is the last place I ever want to see him.”

“Oh,” Beatrice feels kind of silly for being surprised that it actually is something real and heavy. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thanks,” Ava nods and starts tapping an earpiece on her stethoscope to the diaphragm. “His parents bring him here even though it’s further away, he and I are bonded by our love of baseball and cookie dough ice cream.”

That’s not the only reason, Beatrice thinks, they bring him to her because she’s good at what she does. “Is he alright?”

Ava nods. “For now, yeah.” She doesn’t elaborate, which makes sense with confidentiality and all. “You busy?”

Beatrice frowns. “I’m taking lunch.”

“Okay, so you have some time?”

“I suppose.”

Ava pops up off the edge of the fountain, hooking her stethoscope over her neck before flinging her coat on. “Okay, come with me.”

She starts back towards the hospital. It was the exact building she wanted to escape for an hour, but alas she finds herself following Ava back inside without question.

As if true to her reputation, Ava is stopped three separate times on the way to wherever they're going, because nurses and another doctor need her consultation.

Ava is good, that much is clear. She lifts a particular x-ray up and examines it under the fluorescent light above her for about twenty seconds before pointing something out that one of the residents missed.

“How did I not see it?” The resident is clearly upset with himself.

“It’s not always easy, ribs are tricky and no two sets are the same - you have to look for slits, cracks - plus you said their breathing was okay, so it’s hairline. That explains the pain when they're lying down. It’s the pressure.”

She’s so calm about it, understanding that learning is a forever changing experience. When she hands the intern back his x-ray, he’s clearly relieved. “Thanks, Dr. Silva.”

“Ava, please, I’m still pretending I’m twenty-nine for at least two more months.”

This makes the resident laugh (and Beatrice’s mouth twitches upward as well).

Eventually, they manage to get through the ER and to a much quieter part of the first floor that Beatrice didn’t know existed.

There are a few doors here and there with names on them, then one on the far right wall where Ava stops.

Dr. Ava Silva

Emergency

“Having your name on a door is hot girl shit, right?” Ava says and Beatrice laughs.

“It’s certainly something.”

Ava opens it and steps inside, Beatrice a few steps behind.

When Beatrice passes by Ava, taking in her office (which is surprisingly tidy despite the ball of clothes crumpled together on a chair pushed up against a wall), she hears the door lock and turns around just in time to see Ava pressing into her.

The kiss is like their others, intense and needy. Beatrice hesitates for only a second before her hands find their way up Ava’s back, clutching onto her coat.

Their lips mingle and slide against each other, then Beatrice’s mouth opens to take a breath and Ava’s tongue finds its way inside. She gasps at the contact, tasting coffee on Ava’s tongue as a moan passes between them.

It’s jarring enough to lodge something in Beatrice’s brain. “Wait,” she pushes back, not harshly, but enough to create distance. “I can't do this.”

“Okay,” Ava says, but she’s still holding onto Beatrice’s arms. “Because of your rules or because you’re not into it?”

“I-” Beatrice falters, her brows furrowing. “My rules?”

Ava shrugs. “You seem the type to have a lot of like…personal conduct rules.”

Beatrice really should be offended. Even if it is true and a bit terrifying how good Ava reads her sometimes. “We’re at the hospital, Ava. I shouldn’t have to tell you how inappropriate this is.”

“Hmm,” Ava’s hand travels up Beatrice’s arm, tracing over her bicep and then rolling up her shoulder. “I think you’re thinking too much, we’re not mindless teenagers, Bea. We have forty minutes before my break ends, we both have jobs where it’s probably best to shut our minds off and create some distance. A lot of tension too, right,” Ava squeezes gently along the juncture between Beatrice’s neck and shoulder. “We can fuck, right here, and spend the rest of our shifts feeling all…fuzzy.”

When Ava’s thumb traces up her neck, Beatrice can only focus on Ava’s lips. The softness of them, how they're glistening a bit from the kiss.

The way her tongue pokes up and pulls her bottom lip between her teeth.

Dangerous, that’s what Ava Silva is.

“We don’t have a lot of time.” Beatrice is the one who says it, surprising herself almost as much as Ava.

Fortunately, Ava recovers faster than she does. “Don’t worry, I have an idea.”

From there, Ava practically prances around her desk, shedding her lab coat and tossing it over the back of the chair before she kneels down and starts digging through a drawer.

A moment later, she pulls something out and holds it up with wiggly eyebrows.

“You have that here?!” Beatrice’s voice is too loud, but it only makes Ava laugh.

“Not intentionally! It caught my eye one day in a shop and I bought it, then I got an urgent page to come to the ER and just kind of…threw it in here,” she is literally swinging around the pink strap on as she speaks, because she cannot talk without her hands. “It did come in handy when a really bitchy pharma agent came by trying to sell us all on the magic of modern medicine.”

Beatrice’s eyes go wide. “You slept with her?”

“I thought it might chill her out! It didn’t, by the way.” Beatrice cannot tell if she is offended or impressed that Ava has very clearly used this item before today in this very building - probably in this very office. "If you're worried about where it's been, I promise it's been properly cleaned." She’s leaning towards being offended until Ava reaches up and touches the pink dildo and runs her finger along the bottom. “Clock’s ticking, Bea.”

Ava traces her finger over the top of it, eyes never leaving Beatrice who feels her thighs squeezing together involuntarily.

“Ava,” she says her name because it’s all she can think, because she’s losing this fight and she knows it.

As if she can sense it, Ava starts wrapping the harness around her hips, pulling her pants down and leaving her panties on underneath of it. “I had a feeling, you showing with your sleeves rolled up and those top buttons undone, so dirty, Bea.”

The sight of Ava wearing the strap, plus her words, sends a wave of warmth between her legs.

This is not good. This is so very not good, but she can't stop.

Beatrice moves around the desk, finding Ava’s mouth again and kissing her - making her whine in surprise for a moment before she’s kissing back.

There’s only so much she can take, feeling the toy pressing against her stomach, before Beatrice turns around and starts unbuttoning her black slacks.

She pushes them down, along with her underwear and feels a hand press into her back.

Bending forward, Beatrice’s elbows find purchase on the desk, she is staring right at Ava’s office door. It has a frosted glass door, she can't make out anything in particular, but she can see movement outside.

Some whisper in the back of her mind is screaming, desperately trying to tell her that she does have rules and she is breaking every single one of them, but all the noise evaporates when the dildo runs up along her cunt.

“Oh,” Beatrice shudders, elbow slipping just a bit.

“Easy, Bea. Don’t forget to breathe.”

She has, in fact, forgotten and takes a few steadying ones to settle down the dizziness.

A heartbeat later, she feels the toy sliding through her and gasps at the fullness. “Ava, Av-” she can't concentrate, only feels and when a pair of firm, strong hands grab her hips underneath her button down and hold her steady, Beatrice stops worrying.

Ava sets a steady pace, pumping into her slowly, deeply, her nails raking across Beatrice’s lower back and all the way down to squeeze her ass. It’s dirty, it’s deviant and it’s amazing.

The next time she looks up and sees the shape of someone passing by the office door, Beatrice feels the anxiety it might bring shift into something else, something good.

Nobody else knows, nobody in this place knows that Ava is currently driving into her again and again. Nobody knows how much she loves it. How good it feels, god it feels so good. She wants to moan, to cry out and let Ava know she feels good.

Instead, she settles for a breathy little whimper, fingers gripping onto the edge of the desk as she feels her orgasm fast approaching.

Ava must sense it too because she starts to pick up the pace, rocking back and forth, the sounds of what little bare skin they both have exposed slapping together filling the office obscenely.

“Close, I’m close. Ava…”

When Ava’s hand reaches up and tangles into the bun her hair is tied into, tugging her backward and forcing her back to bend, Beatrice comes. She lets out the starts of a moan but her mouth is quickly covered by Ava’s hand.

Her lower body trembles, knees barely holding up and she’s not sure she would even be upright if not for the desk beneath her.

“Okay,” Beatrice manages to say, mumbling through Ava’s hand.

Ava lets her go, allowing Beatrice to slump forward and just catch herself befores he smashes her face into Ava’s massively round coffee cup.

As she feels Ava pull out of her, she whines a little without meaning to.

“Shit, Bea.” Ava sounds out of breath, which isn’t surprising given how hard she just worked. “You’re…you make some really fucking hot noises when you come.”

Beatrice, despite herself, laughs and turns around. Her legs are still a little wobbly, but Ava is holding onto her.

She leans forward and kisses her, a thank you. “You were very good.”

Ava beams. “I’m glad to hear it.” A few quiet moments pass before Ava unhooks the strap and Beatrice starts pulling up her pants - she’ll have to stop by the bathroom to clean up before she steps anywhere near Lilith again. “Are you actually hungry? The cafeteria here makes excellent sandwiches, I can grab us a couple.”

She is hungry, and also not entirely sure her legs are sturdy enough to carry her all the way upstairs. “Alright,” she says, watching Ava grin as she pulls her own pants back up.

“Great! Turkey and avocado okay?”

“Yes,” Beatrice is slowly starting to wrap her mind around how absurd the last twenty minutes just were.

“Alright,” Ava grabs a few sanitizer wipes, and cleans off the strap as Beatrice looks away after seeing how messy it is, and hears Ava put it back in the drawer. “I’ll wash my hands first, don’t worry. Use the sanitizer wipes if you don’t want to leave.”

Beatrice can only nod before Ava is out the door and it closes behind her.

What the fuck just happened?

Chapter Text

Though she would only ever admit it under threat of death, Beatrice does feel tingly and good the rest of the day.

It drives Lilith particularly insane because Beatrice keeps making lame metaphors and shrugging when Lilith yells at her about them.

Needless to say, when the day is finished, she doesn’t even see Lilith leave because she was down in accounting all the way up until Beatrice decided she’d had enough.

By the time she makes it back to her hotel via Uber (leaving the rental for Lilith(, she’s ready to see Ava again.

At this point Beatrice has accepted that the sex is just too good to pass up. Ava has a bit of a hold on her and quite frankly, Beatrice is alright with it.

They're not going to run off and get married or anything, it does not have to be anything so dramatic. Ava’s right; both of their jobs are tense and a little release never hurts.

Unfortunately, Beatrice doesn’t actually have any way to get ahold of Ava so she goes to her room and prepares for a night out she isn’t even sure is actually happening. Ava mentioned taking her out, but that was before she bent Beatrice over the table and fucked her.

The thought alone draws a warmth to Beatrice’s lower body that she has to fight to ignore - she likes to wait, wants to. If Ava does show up then Beatrice will be ready for her.

The truth of it all is that Beatrice really does enjoy Ava’s company. She’s funny and outgoing - beautiful, Beatrice goes out of her way most times to avoid being shallow and materialistic - she likes to find the deeper beauty in people, and Ava has that in spades.

Still, it’s impossible to deny the fact that Ava is just…really nice to look at. Perhaps it’s tawdry, but Beatrice is convinced if she told Ava this, she would enjoy it.

An hour later, Beatrice has showered and dressed up just a little - putting on a deep blue button down with a pair of dark slacks to match. She slips on a jacket over top to go with it and even takes a few minutes to neatly tie her hair up, not complaining when a few strands slip free and frame her face just right.

It’s a great deal more effort than she usually puts in, but Ava told her she was taking her to a nice place, or at least nicer than Panda Express or TGI Friday’s, so Beatrice wants to look accordingly.

She decides to head down to the lobby and wait for her, but stops just outside of Lilith’s door when she hears a thump inside. She frowns, walking up to knock, only to freeze when she hears a giggle on the other side.

For a second, Beatrice thinks she’s standing in front of the wrong door, but she knows she isn’t. Door 27 is Lilith’s, 29 is hers - but Lilith isn’t alone.

Beatrice isn’t one to judge, obviously, but she’s never really known Lilith to pick anyone up and certainly not take them back to her own hotel room.

Still, it’s enough to get Beatrice to back away and head downstairs. She’s glad Lilith is having fun, God knows she needs it.

It takes Beatrice all of ten seconds once she steps into the lobby to see Ava.

The sight of her makes Beatrice smile without even really thinking as Ava spots her and waves. “Holy fuck, Beatrice.” Ava looks her up and down.

Twice.

“I could say the same about you,” Beatrice grins and Ava scoffs. Ava’s not as obvious as Beatrice, but she still looks incredible. She’s wearing a sleeveless red henley with all three buttons undone and her cleavage acting as the world’s best accessory.

Her hair is free and loose, nearly touching her shoulders and she has a deliciously glossy shine on her lips.

“So, I do need to ask you something.” Ava’s voice changes, her eyes narrow and Beatrice is genuinely thrown.

“Of course, what is it?”

Ava looks around, as if to make sure they're truly alone. “Are you fucking other doctors from our hospital?”

Beatrice takes a full step back, confusion no doubt painted across her face. “Excuse me?”

Her reaction makes Ava laugh. “I’m just saying! Chanel’s car is parked outside!”

“I -” Beatrice starts and then stops, trying to piece it together. “I don’t know,” she takes three long steps past Ava and out the lobby door. “Are you sure?”

“Oh I’m sure,” Ava steps up next to her, putting a hand on Beatrice’s shoulder before pointing her towards a spot in the parking lot. “I know that’s her. I’d recognize her shitty custom plates anywhere.”

She doesn’t know much about cars, but whatever car Ava is pointing at is a nice one. Black, sleek, and the plates do read CH4N3L.

“Those are her license plates?”

Ava nods. “Yeah, she does lame shit in an ironic way that somehow makes them kind of cool. I really hate that about her. She’s like…perpetually cool.”

Beatrice can't help herself. “As opposed to you,” she teases and Ava hums out a laugh.

“So cheeky, Bea. I’ll have you know that I am very cool.”

“What kind of socks are you wearing tonight?”

They start to walk, Ava looping her arm through Beatrice’s as they do. “You’ll have to put in a little effort and find out.”

“Well, I am trusting you to choose our meal again this evening, so I believe I’m putting in effort already.”

Ava shakes her head adamantly. “No, this time you’ll be thanking me, this place is amazing.

----------------

“P.F. Changs?”

Beatrice must be making a face, she feels like she’s making a face - this is not what she expected.

“Oh come on! You can't tell me you’re too good for Changs!”

“You said we were going somewhere nice.”

Ava waves her hands around, as if the faux Chinese restaurant wallpaper and lame statues of dragons on every cheap red booth and table was going to magically convince Beatrice that this was authentic. “The food here is really good! It may not have a Michelin Star-”

“You don’t say,” Beatrice can't stop herself from smiling - this is absurd and she’s wildly overdressed, but Ava just seems so comfortable. “Is this your usual route with women you’re sleeping with? Take them to every restaurant chain in the city?”

With a shrug, Ava says something to the hostess (not a maitre-d, she looked it up) and they follow her to a table in the back.

If nothing else, it is slightly more personable than TGI Friday’s. The table they're sitting in is actually a bit enclosed - with vanity separates surrounding their spot (with dragons designed in them of course) and a fancy little chandelier hangs down over their table.

“Women, men, you know, whatever works.”

Beatrice picks up her menu, but keeps her focus on Ava. “Ah, so you cast a wide net then?”

Ava nods. “Absolutely, I feel like I hit the jackpot with sexuality. My cup runneth over - or whatever that saying is.”

“You’ve got the gist of it.”

“So what about you?” Ava asks, not even bothering with her menu. At this point Beatrice is convinced Ava just circles chain restaurants seven days a week.

It strikes her as almost humorous how casual the question is dropped - when at one time it would have shut her down for hours. “Lesbian, formerly severely repressed.”

“Ooh that’s a fun time, huh?”

“You’ve no idea.” Beatrice smiles, opening her menu. “I have a difficult time imagining you repressing anything.”

“You’re not wrong, I suppose.” Ava laughs, it’s so damned infectious. “I was more…explorative, I guess. I had a bit of a late start on the whole ‘sexuality’ thing, figuring out what I was into, so when I had the chance I really dove in head first. Not like…literally head first, well okay I did give head first, but like…nevermind” She picks up her water glass, holding it to her lips. “College Ava was…a lot.”

The urge to tell her that current Ava is still quite a bit to take in is there, but the way Ava sips on her drink and keeps one eye on her tells Beatrice she’s almost expecting that - so Beatrice decides to pivot. “Where did you study?”

“Coimbra, in Portugal.”

“Oh,” that was not what Beatrice had been expecting. “Is that where you’re from?”

Ava nods. “Born there, yeah. Lived in Spain for a good chunk of my childhood, but then some shit happened and I managed to stumble into medicine with a little help and found my way back home. Studied there but never really connected with the country like I was hoping so I left after I graduated, made my way here.”

The conversation is really starting to grab Beatrice’s attention when the waiter arrives. “Good evening, ladies. My name is Tom and I’ll be your server this evening. What can I start you with to drink?”

Beatrice realizes she hasn’t even skimmed her menu yet so she orders an easy drink. “I’ll have a beer.” She says, just catching the sight of Ava’s eyebrows going up at her order.

“Make it two, Tommy.” Ava says with a wink, which naturally makes Tom blush because she just has that effect on everyone apparently.

“Excellent, do you have any preferences or would you care for me to list them off for you?”

Ava looks to Beatrice again, this is her show, apparently. “Sapporo Lager,” she says with a firm nod and Tom jots it down in his notebook.

“Wonderful, I’ll bring you your drinks and take your orders when I return.”

With that, he slips out of their little space and Ava turns fully to Beatrice. “Beer huh? Didn’t know you had it in you.”

“I have been known to enjoy beer from time to time, I am a lesbian after all.”

Ava snorts. “Is that a prerequisite?”

“I honestly have no idea,” this makes Ava laugh. “Mostly, I think, I’m just trying to keep you on your toes.”

This changes Ava’s expression a little, she tilts her head down, eyes narrowed as a grin threatens to break free. “Bea, you fucked me in the bathroom of a cowboy bar even after seeing me in my rodeo clothes - I haven’t been off my toes since I met you.”

Hearing it, feeling the way the words flow between them, it has the same effect as if Ava were slowly running her foot up Beatrice’s leg under the table.

The thing about Beatrice is, she is composed and coiled - she can dig deep within herself to hold steady and power through almost any situation.

If she needed to right now, she could shut down this feeling bubbling up inside of her and make it through the night without giving away anything.

Yet, when it comes to Ava and this strange freedom she feels around her, Beatrice has no interest in holding back. “You never finished your story,” Beatrice leans forward, her fingertips gently running along Ava’s forearm as she does. “What brought you to the Midwest of the United States?”

Ava stares at where Beatrice is touching her, then looks back up into her eyes. It takes her a good four seconds to answer. “The mountains, and Dr. Superion - she was a connection to someone who was integral to me starting up in medicine - seemed like a good fit.”

“Despite how broken America’s medical system is?”

Another soft laugh escapes Ava. “Fucking with that system is part of the fun, I suppose. I do what I can to help, plus I really did need to get the fuck out of Protugal and I refused to go back to Spain - fresh start, I suppose.”

It’s not much, a small window, but it’s a tiny peek into the person behind those eyes. Ava is such a walking ball of sunshine and chaos that it’s easy to forget there’s most definitely a story in there.

When their drinks come, Beatrice finally forces herself to look at the menu, she skims through it quickly, deciding to try something safe.

“Lettuce wraps,” she says, closing her menu and watching Tom grin.

“That’s our speciality, a great choice.”

Beatrice can only wonder how lettuce wraps are a specialty. “Great,” she says, then turns to Ava.

What she doesn't expect is that Ava is just…staring at her. She’s looking at her with something unique, something weighted and powerful, it could almost pass as lust if not for the adoring smile. “Crispy honey shrimp for me, Tom.” Ava gives him a single glance, handing over her menu before she refocuses on Beatrice again.

Tom says something, Beatrice doesn't hear it and then he’s gone. Ava is still staring at her. “Can I help you?” Beatrice tries, her brow raised.

Ava shakes her head. “Your lips are fucking sexy.”

She can't help but twitch a small smirk. “Now who’s using lines?”

“Not a line,” Ava says, reaching out and brushing her thumb softly over Beatrice’s bottom lip. She doesn’t pull back, doesn't tense up - instead, Beatrice pouts her lip ever-so-slightly. “Food here takes about twenty minutes to come out,” Ava’s eyes darken, Beatrice’s lower body aches - she can almost sense what’s coming. “Do you think you can come faster than that?”

This…this is not her. This is not who she is - she enjoys sex, but never like this. It’s never been this insatiable before. Ava is here, so close, her finger still lingering on Beatrice’s jaw and she’s so very aware that the clock is ticking.

She nods and stands up, Ava right there with her.

They walk to the bathroom together, Beatrice ahead of her with Ava jogging to keep up, she can't get there fast enough and when she does, Beatrice does a quick scan of the bathroom - no stall doors are closed, nobody is at the sink.

It’s PF Changs on a Tuesday night, the restaurant has maybe fifteen people in it.

As soon as Ava steps into the bathroom, Beatrice grabs her by the collar of her shirt and slams her into the door.

She kisses her hard, thinking of how much Ava seems to adore her lips and trusting herself to be as sexy as Ava thinks she is.

It’s powerful, the way Ava looks at her. Beatrice has long since put her insecurities behind her, but to have someone so clearly want her brings with it a familiar sense of joy she hasn’t felt in years.

Ava, this powerhouse of a woman who saves lives and brightens every room she walks into is now whimpering into Beatrice’s mouth.

She feels alive.

Stepping back, Beatrice keeps her hold on Ava’s collar and drags her into the first stall, letting her back slam the door open before she shuts it behind her.

This time, it’s Ava who pounces on her, licking into her mouth with vigor and Beatrice tilts her head to let Ava in deeper.

Beatrice’s hands slide up Ava’s back, raking down on top of her shirt, feeling Ava tremble under the pressure.

Then suddenly they're apart again, Ava’s hand tangling in her hair, tugging Beatrice’s head to the side before she runs her tongue up her pulse point and along her jaw. Then Ava’s teeth are biting down on her earlobe, pulling it gently before kissing her neck again.

Hands find their way to her shirt, deft fingers that have been trained for years are making quick work of the buttons. Before Beatrice knows what’s happening, her shirt is being tugged out of her jeans and pulled open.

Ava’s mouth finds her chest greedily. She’s devoured in wet, open mouth kisses on the top of her breasts before her bra is tugged down and one of her nipples is surrounded by Ava’s warm mouth.

Beatrice grabs onto Ava’s hair, but doesn't pull her away - instead she keeps her pressed in. The feeling of Ava’s tongue rolling along her nipple is leaving her breathless - her whole body feels like it’s on fire. She can't pinpoint where to focus on the most - what part of her feels more coiled.

It’s all of it, everything - she’s losing herself in the feeling of Ava. Her brain only briefly registers that they're in a public bathroom for a moment before it’s washed away again as Ava starts kissing up her collarbone again and back into her mouth.

When Beatrice feels the button of her pants snap open, it takes her a few seconds to realize she was the one who’d unsnapped it. Then they're suddenly being pushed down her hips and stopping just above her knees.

“Turn around,” Ava says and Beatrice does, when she has her back to Ava, she leans into her back and presses her forward. Beatrice’s hands slam onto the metal of the stall as Ava uses her feet to widen Beatrice’s stance as much as her pants will allow her to be.

Ava’s hand reaches around the front of her and grabs her breast, squeezing it before her thumb ghosts back and forth over her nipple - then her other hand is dipping down.

Fingers press firmly into her clit and it’s enough to make her gasp. If someone has walked in here now, there’s a good chance they’ll know what’s happening.

Beatrice doesn't care - she’ll never see these people again. All she can think of is Ava.

Ava, Ava, Ava.

A pair of fingers move then, dipping easily inside of her and curling just right. Her head rocks back, landing on Ava’s shoulder behind her and suddenly teeth are sinking into her neck. It’s not hard enough to break the skin, but Beatrice reaches up and tangles her fingers into Ava’s hair.

This is sex. This is her favorite part. Beatrice has never made love before, she often wonders what it might be like, but she’s never been in love with someone to experience it - not like that.

She doesn’t love Ava, she doesn’t know her well enough for that - but this part right here has never ever felt better.

“That’s it, Bea,” Ava whispers as she drives her fingers into Beatrice again and again, thumb still brushing over Beatrice’s clit all the while. It’s overwhelming and filthy, her hips are grinding against Ava’s hand - she can't get enough. “You’re dripping down my hand, I told you you were fucking sexy.”

It’s too much, the words and the feeling, the comfort. Ava’s with her every step, never behind, always there. They’ve known each other three days and yet Ava makes Beatrice feel like existing really is so simple.

Be present, be alive, she’s never been so consumed by it before

When she comes, it’s thankfully quiet, her throat catching because she’s been straining it for the last five minutes. Her body jolts and trembles, thighs squeezing around Ava’s hand as she continues to move, slower and steady - letting Beatrice ride out the rest of her orgasm.

Ava slips out of her carefully, Beatrice mourning the loss but having no time to focus because suddenly wet fingers are sliding between her lips. “You taste amazing, Bea.” She moans around them, feeling Ava’s other hand press into her abdomen and hold her up.

A heartbeat later, she turns around, fingers pulling out of her mouth, and kisses Ava. It’s messy and slow, Beatrice is still sensitive in all the right places and when the kiss breaks, Ava’s lips are shiny. “You’re a menace.” Beatrice says, watching Ava grin.

“I owed you, for the bar.”

Beatrice hums, taking a few more breaths before she grabs a handful of toilet paper and cleans herself up a little before pulling her pants back on. Before she finishes pulling them on, Ava steps out of the stall and walks to the sink to wash her hands.

“Nobody came in,” she says. “I could see the door through the crack in the stall.”

That is a bit of a relief, at the moment she’s pretty sure not even the repulsed scowl of her parents could have stopped her from giving herself over to Ava entirely.

Still, it’s good to know they weren’t on display for anyone.

Fully dressed again, Beatrice moves to the sink on slightly shaky legs and uses the sink next to Ava. Their eyes meet in the mirror. “Do you have a thing for bathrooms?” Beatrice asks, a tease in her voice.

Ava laughs warmly, pulling back her wet hands and using her elbow to crank the paper towel dispenser. “I have a thing for you, I think. You’ve skyrocketed my public sex quota.”

“Well you’ve laid the foundation for mine.” Beatrice decides to offer a very small piece of herself. “I’ve never done these kinds of things before.”

As Ava dries her hands, she grabs a few more and offers them to Beatrice. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“Good, I think. New, but my leg is still twitching just a bit so I’ll stick with good.”

Ava nods, walking past Beatrice and kissing her cheek. “Play your cards right and I might just take you home.”

“Oh yes, I’m sure I’ll have to work for it,” it’s already unspoken that they’ll spend the night together, but Ava shrugs all the same

“You might.”

They walk out of the bathroom, no one in the place wise to what’s just happened - it’s oddly exciting. “Are you telling me I’ll have to earn a trip to your bed?”

“Yep,” Ava says, sliding down into her seat as Beatrice does the same.

“Alright, and what will I have to do?”

She watches Ava grin, realizing in the moment that she’s dealing with a prodigal genius who is world renowned for her ability to solve medical cases. Perhaps she’s stepping into something deeper than she’s prepared for.

Until Ava grabs the tiny little dessert menu and lays it down in front of Beatrice, her eyes sparkling again. “You have to eat a piece of pie with me.”

Easy. That’s what being with Ava is like…it’s so very easy.

-------------------------

“I have to be back at the hotel by five.”

Ava nods, hardly paying attention as she pulls into the parking structure of her building. It’s somewhere in between the hospital and Beatrice’s hotel - it’s a nice building. Gated and clearly has a lot of upkeep done to it regularly.

A few things Beatrice picked up on as they rode home; Ava drives slow - slower than the speed limit. She’s careful, slow stopping yellow lights and always leaving good spacing between her and the car in front of her.

It’s certainly not a bad thing to be careful, just an odd trait for someone as carefree as Ava seems to be.

Then again, she’s probably seen her fair share of nasty car accidents - that has to stick with a person regardless of how bright their outlook on life is.

“We’ll get you there.” Ava says, as if it’s obvious.

Beatrice has her doubts. “Uh huh,”

“Are you doubting my wake up game?”

“Your…wake up game?”

“Yeah! I actually love mornings, and late nights.”

Beatrice eyes her suspiciously. “So when do you sleep?”

Ava shrugs, parking her car and letting it continue to run as she speaks. “I get my sleep, but you have to learn how to adjust your body when you’re a resident because you always get stuck on the worst shifts at the worst hours. Night shifts in particular are brutal because sometimes you can be slammed if there’s an accident or something, but other times they just drag on and you’re treating some drunk guy who thought he was sixteen and broke both of his legs skateboarding at fifty-three.”

The car finally turns off and it jumps a bit when Ava takes her foot off the brake. “That sounds like a story.” They both climb out, Ava grinning as she looks at Beatrice over the top of the car.

“Not as wild as you’d think. Just an old guy who had too much to drink and was trying to impress some younger woman. Needless to say she did not wait for him to come out of surgery before she bailed. He was kind of cute though, he had George Clooney vibes.”

They walk side by side through the structure, Ava leading by only a step as she guides Beatrice through a door that has a series of stairs and an elevator in it. “George Clooney?” Beatrice doubts it and Ava’s laugh confirms her doubts.

“Well okay, George if he was a bit lankier and like…in traction.”

Their hands keep brushing up against one another. It’s such a silly and adolescent thing to notice, but she does. She notices it because each time it happens, Ava extends her pinky just enough to hook Beatrice’s hand for a split second. Meaning she’s aware it’s happening too and is probably doing her best to make it keep happening.

For as much as Beatrice enjoys the easy comfort of being around Ava, she can't deny the fact that this is so rare for her. Usually, it takes people weeks, even months to get to a point with her where she feels comfortable talking this much.

With Ava though, it’s natural - like she knew her before they even met. It sounds maudlin, but it’s there and she can't deny it.

“We should play a game.” Ava says out of nowhere as the elevator door chimes and they find themselves in a widened hall.

This apartment complex loves its windows - which Beatrice can't blame it for, the view of the mountains is spectacular - even at night. “What kind of game?”

Ava turns and starts walking backwards, her eyes fixed on Beatrice. “How about we ask lame first date questions, to get to know each other?”

“Do you see this as a date?”

“I mean not really, just two friends having dinner and getting nasty in a fancy restaurant bathroom.”

Beatrice rolls her eyes. “We must work on your definition of the word fancy.”

“Come on! I saw you devouring those lettuce wraps - you liked it.”

They were quite good, but her mood had been sufficiently boosted by the time they arrived. “So we’re friends then?”

“I’d like to think so, obviously we haven’t exactly followed the friendship handbook step for step, but we get along.”

This makes Beatrice smile, they do. Once they reach a certain door, Ava stops and digs her keys out of the tiny clutch she’s been carrying all night. The energy has shifted, it’s not sexual, but Beatrice feels like that could shift at the drop of a hat.

Instead, it’s casual and fun - she feels like laughing even when nothing funny is happening. It’s a nice feeling - different from what she’s used to.

“Alright, so if we play this game you’ll have to go first.”

Ava cracks her apartment door open and gestures Beatrice inside as if she’s inviting her into a cave of wonders on an amusement park tour. “I love going first.” She says as Beatrice steps inside.

Ava’s apartment is impressive. It’s open, the kitchen and living area are all one giant room separated only by a slight change in the floor pattern.

The kitchen itself stands out, a massive stove right in the middle of it, with a large row of lights and a fan hanging over the top of it. Her living room is a collection of mismatched furniture all arranged in a circle, meant for conversations and gatherings.

Keeping with the theme, most of the back wall is windowed, overlooking the city skyline and the mountains beyond - sunset’s must be magical here.

“Your apartment is lovely,” Beatrice notes, turning back to see Ava moving through the kitchen, she plucks a few glasses out of a cupboard and sets them on the counter before meeting Beatrice’s eyes.

“Thanks,” she grins. “It feels too fancy for me sometimes, and I have this restaurant quality kitchen and can't make shit in it, but Camila comes over and works her magic for me, so it’s good - plus the view.”

“Yes, it’s breathtaking,” Beatrice glances back out the windows again. “Are we having drinks?” She sees Ava watching her, feels the way Ava is following her as she shifts around in her space.

Ava shrugs. “If you’re interested. Chanel left some fancy rum here when she was over a few weeks ago. I can make a mean cuba libre.”

Beatrice can't stop the laugh from bubbling up in her throat. “I’m starting to think you just like saying it.”

“Maybe I do!” Ava giggles and reaches for a bottle on top of her fridge.

She sees Ava holding the bottle, two glasses on the table and her expression bordering on hopeful that she’ll get to show off her drink mixing skills.

Despite not being a huge fan of rum, Beatrice has quickly learned she cannot say no to Ava. “Alright, dazzle me.”

Immediately, Ava flips the bottle in one hand and catches it in the other - her eyes so wide after that fact that it’s clear she wasn't fully confident she’d catch it.

Beatrice slips into the kitchen next to her, watching as Ava pours rum into each glass before turning back to her fridge and pulling out a single soda. She cracks it open, filling their glasses each way before she slides a glass over to Beatrice. “Sorry I don’t have any cute lime wedges to put on the rim.”

“I’m sure I’ll survive,” Beatrice tips the drink to her lips and sips. It’s not bad, a delightful hint of vanilla touches her tongue.

When she finishes her first drink, she sees Ava watching her, glass tipped to her lips as she stares over it curiously.

“That is, in fact, a mean cuba libre.”

Ava pumps her fist adorably before she steps around Beatrice. As she does, her hand presses into Beatrice’s back, a quiet request to follow her. “Feel free to take your shoes off if you want, get comfortable.” Ava sits down on her couch, tucking her legs underneath her as she sets her glass down on the coffee table.

Beatrice follows her lead, slipping off her shoes and picking them up - she puts them neatly beside the couch before taking a seat on the same couch.

Their knees brush against one another, nothing charged, but that feels inevitable at this point.

If she’s being honest, Beatrice can't wait for the shift - she owes Ava two. “So you wanted to play a game?”

Ava’s face lights up, she’s clearly forgotten already. “Oh, right! Yes! Shitty first date questions. You wanna go first?”

“I suppose, though I haven’t had a first date in far longer than I’d ever admit in mixed company.”

This makes Ava laugh. “Honestly? Same, who has the time to date?”

“So I’ll simply go with something generic,” she racks her brain quickly for an easy question. Favorite food, favorite movie, favorite place she’s traveled - they all seem too simple. Ava is bright and open, a book left face up and waiting for the next person to stumble across it and get lost.

For now, Beatrice feels lucky to be that person. “I’ve worked with numerous doctors across the country, I have to say…I’ve never met one quite like you.”

She sees the corner of Ava’s mouth slant upward. “You mean hot right? Never seen a doctor as hot as me?”

Yes, is the easy answer - but that’s not as much fun. “I was going to say loquacious.”

“La-what?”

Beatrice giggles, actually giggles - the beer and now the rum must be getting to her. “I thought you were a genius?”

“Yeah with medical stuff. If you got like…ischemic colitis or are showing signs of an aneurysm then I’m your girl, but big words and shit? Hard pass.”

Shifting a bit on the couch, Beatrice presses their knees together as she gets more comfortable. Ava deserves her undivided attention. “Loquacious means talkative - but also you aren’t entirely wrong - you are incredibly attractive.”

“Hmm, so are you,” Ava tilts her head to the side. “The hottest hospital…financial…adjuster…person I’ve ever met.”

Beatrice sips on her drink, deciding to finish this one and let the buzz carry her through the night. “You’ve met many?”

“Well there’s you,” Ava points her glass at Beatrice. “Then…Lilith I suppose. Who is also stupid hot, by the way. When Superion told us we had finance people coming I expected dusty old dudes like Vincent - not the fucking smokeshow that stepped into the office.”

As easy as this moment would be to let Ava stroke her ego (and Ava is very good for her ego), she decides to let it pass and refocus. “My question was going to be…how did you end up down this path?”

The silence that follows is a bit surprising, it doesn't last long, but clearly Ava is measuring how much she wants to share. Beatrice worries for a moment that she’s asked the wrong question, though it felt rather tame - you never know.

Then Ava does what she does and lets out a long breath and smiles. “I was in a car accident when I was seven,” she says, laying it out as smoothly as if she’s telling Beatrice the time. “It was basically the defining moment in my life. Mom died, I suffered a really bad back injury and had tetraplegia - paralysis.

Despite her best efforts, Beatrice can't help her reaction - it’s a lot. “Ava I’m sorry.”

Ava waves her off, “it’s okay - unless you were the drunk driving the car you have nothing to apologize for. Plus I’ve dealt with it, really. It’s shitty and a bad memory sure, but I’ve had therapy and recovery and it’s a scar just like the ones on my back. Going back to your question though, it was in recovery that I found medicine. Well, actually I found Jillian Salvius.”

That name strikes a cord. “Oh, I know that name. She’s world renowned.”

“I know,” Ava laughs. “She’s amazing and she was testing some new clinical trials for spinal damage and treatment and I got into the program. It worked wonders for me and I don’t know…we just kind of bonded during the whole process. I also became really close with her son. They both still visit sometimes - but she just…let me work with her while I was recovering and all of this medical stuff clicked for me. I ate it all up like a sponge. I thought it was so cool to heal the body and see how it all worked. The older I got the more I wanted to do it, then Jillian basically offered to pay my way into medical school, which I refused valiantly by the way, but she insisted and she’s fucking loaded so I didn’t feel too guilty and, well…here I am. Dr. Silva, been on both sides of it.”

The entire time Ava tells her story, her expression goes through a thousand different forms. She smiles, she laughs, she frowns, she clenches and at one point she looks so wistful Beatrice almost kisses her.

Everyone has a story, she knows that, but to see the light that Ava carries with her every day with every person and now to know what she’s been through, the word remarkable loses some of its value when describing her.

She hasn’t even realized she’s done it, but Beatrice has tangled her fingers with Ava’s on the back of the couch. “That’s pretty amazing,”

Ava shrugs. “It hasn’t always felt that way,” she says. “I was also pretty spoiled learning with Jillian at first only to go to med school and find out they weren’t overflowing with equipment and funding.”

“I imagine she can do just about anything she wants.”

“I mean she literally paid my way through med school so…”

The way Ava speaks of Dr. Salvius is telling. “It sounds like she’s very important to you.”

“She is, she couldn’t technically adopt me because I was almost eighteen by the time we really started to grow close, right around the time I got my movement back, but her and her son visit a lot and sometimes I go to them - they're family. I was very lucky.”

Beatrice feels a strange pull in her chest - not at all her intention going into the night - but she finds herself wanting to meet Ava’s makeshift family. Thank them for being there for her, for getting her here.

The world is a better place with Ava in it.

“Sorry,” Ava says with a shy laugh. “First dates don’t usually get so deep.”

“No it’s fine, this isn’t a first date remember?”

Ava grins. “Right, it’s a third night and…hopefully…fourth round in bed.”

“Well, second in bed, fourth overall.” Beatrice meets her eyes and Ava bites her lip. “I’m convinced you’re trying to get into my pants in every restaurant chain in town.”

She watches Ava finish off her drink and shrug, setting her glass down on the table. “There are a lot of restaurant chains, there’s a Chili’s down the street if you want to get adventurous?”

No, Beatrice thinks, she’s not sure she could wait that long.

Taking one last sip, Beatrice puts her drink down next to Ava’s and leans forward, she presses her hands onto either side of Ava’s lap and kisses her.

Ava seems surprised, but only for a second, then her hands are grabbing onto Beatrice’s shoulders and keeping her steady. The kiss is softer, more passionate, but Beatrice is a little tipsy and very smitten.

“Mmm,” Ava hums, breaking the kiss with a laugh. “Wait, I didn’t get to ask my lame question.”

Beatrice looks at her, eyes flicking to her lips momentarily before finding their way back up. “Do you want to ask a lame question or do you want me to eat you out on your own couch?”

“Is that another question?” Ava quirks an eyebrow and then Beatrice kisses her again and pushes her down onto the couch.

That’s when the energy changes. That’s when Beatrice feels Ava tugging her shirt out from where it’s neatly tucked into her pants. As Ava’s hands start to climb their way up her back, Beatrice remembers the bathroom, and the office, and how she let Ava take control of those moments.

Now, she thinks, it’s her turn.

Beatrice reaches behind her with both hands, finding Ava’s wrists and grabbing them. She pulls Ava’s hands away and then presses them into the couch - making her gasp.

Hovering over her, Beatrice looks down at Ava intensely. “I’m in charge tonight,” she says and Ava pouts. “Understood?”

“In my own home, Bea?” Ava teases, Beatrice has to fight not to smile. “You’re in charge.”

She nods. “Good, now, be a good girl and sit up for me.” Ava swallows sharply at the request and actually does sit up - quickly. She’s there now, face to face with Beatrice who is on her knees. “Take off your shirt.” Ava grabs it from the bottom and peels it up and over her head. It leaves her sitting in a black bra.

It’s different from her work clothes - lacy, Ava dressed up for tonight. It makes Beatrice feel better about her own decision to look the part.

“Hands to yourself,” Beatrice demands and Ava whimpers a bit when the gap between them is closed and Beatrice kisses along her neck. She takes her time, slow and patient, dragging her lips and tongue down along the column of Ava’s throat.

The thought pops into her mind and she groans internally at how dramatic it sounds, but the truth of the matter is that Ava Silva was built to be worshiped.

She’s the most enchanting creature that Beatrice has ever seen. Her soft eyes, her bright smile all on top of her intoxicatingly bubbly personality.

The rest of her though? Devastating.

She has strong, round shoulders and some of the nicest arms Beatrice has ever seen. Not to mention her body is fit, lean and her breasts are about as close as Beatrice has ever come to admitting she has a kink.

So having Ava here, sitting up on the couch and taking shaky breaths as Beatrice kisses and licks every part of her she can find is almost surreal.

Ava’s trembling beneath her, hands in tight fists at her sides. Beatrice leans back, takes in the sight of her and decides her fate “I want to watch you.”

“What?” Ava asks and Beatrice realizes she legitimately wasn't paying attention.

Beatrice laughs. “I want to watch you, Ava. I want to see you touch yourself.”

When Ava nods quickly, Beatrice shifts upward a bit and gives her more room.

Ava lays back, lifting her hips as she peels her pants and underwear down. When they get past her knees, Beatrice takes them down the rest of the way and Ava slips her legs out of the and they're discarded on the floor.

The light from the kitchen is glowing at Beatrice’s back, illuminating Ava in front of her perfectly. She’s breathtaking. Chest heaving and eyes dark. She runs a hand down her toned stomach and over her neatly trimmed patch of curls just above her dripping wet pussy

She’s delightful, and as she watches Ava gently run two fingers over her clit, it instantly turns her on to the point that her own underwear are suddenly damp. “That’s it,” Beatrice says, “let me hear you, gorgeous.”

On cue, Ava lets out a gasp as she plunges two fingers inside of herself and her hips rock upward ever-so-slightly.

“There’s so much more of you to touch, Ava. Show me.” All the while she’s fingering herself, Ava uses her free hand to gently grab one of her breasts and squeeze it. They're so perfect, just watching Ava is making Beatrice’s fingers itch - she wants to touch her, make her feel this good - but a part of her is enjoying this slow torment. “Don’t come, Ava. Only I get to do that.”

“Bea,” Ava gasps, her pace quickening as she pinches a nipple between two fingers and tugs on it. “Beatrice, I can't…please.”

“A little more, Ava. Keep going, tell me what you want. Tell me how dirty you are”

Ava groans, deep and guttural as she clenches and slows - clearly putting a halt to an oncoming orgasm. The messy sounds she’s making fill the apartment. It’s the kind of thing Beatrice will remember forever. “I’m hot, Bea. I’m all hot and sweaty and needy. I’m so wet, can you hear it?”

“Hear it, see it, I can smell it, Ava. You’re intoxicating.”

“Fuck.” Ava cries out, again pressing into herself with a steady pace. “Beatrice, please I can't stop. I can't…”

“You will,” Beatrice deepens her voice. “You will not come until my mouth is on you.”

This time, the sound Ava lets out is a whimper, her eyes squeezed shut - just a little longer.

As Ava’s hips start to roll beneath her touches, Beatrice shifts downward on the couch and positions herself.

In one quick motion, she pulls Ava’s hand away and drags her tongue from the bottom up through Ava’s dripping cunt and closes her lips over her clit.

Ava cries out, sound echoing off the walls of her apartment. Hands fly into Beatrice’s hair as she rolls her tongue over Ava’s captured clit again and again. Then she shifts downward, dipping her tongue deep into Ava’s pussy - tasting her.

When she slides back up, pressing the flat of her tongue into Ava’s clit again, Beatrice pushes her two middle fingers into her and starts pumping.

“Bea,” Ava gasps. “Beatrice, Bea…tri…fucking fuck! I’m coming, I’m coming, I -”

With a hoarse moan, Ava comes hard, her entire body twisting on the couch as Beatrice uses her hands to keep her from falling off. She continues to lap Ava up, taking what is given to her and drinking her in. It’s a flood, wet and overpowering - beautiful.

After a few seconds, Ava starts to pull away and Beatrice lets her go, sitting up to watch her curl into herself as her legs twitch and shake.

A moment or two pass before Ava’s smile breaks free again, shaky and full of bliss - she laughs sharply a couple of times before her eyes open. “Christ, Bea.”

“Good?” Beatrice asks, still tasting Ava on her tongue.

Ava sits up, grabbing Beatrice by the lapels of her shirt and pulling her down for a kiss.

It’s patient and deep, tongues intermingling like old friends as Beatrice presses her hand into the back of Ava’s head to keep her close.

This is…good. It’s really really good.

Maybe it’s too good, too much for something that is so clearly temporary and fun. It feels important, whatever this is - whatever Ava brings out of her feels like it matters.

She has her rules, her patterns and the fate of the hospital still hangs over both of them, but right now Beatrice can't find a reason to care.

Being with Ava is the most fun Beatrice has had in years.

Chapter Text

Three weeks, it’s been three weeks full of nights together, terrible fast food chains and sexual encounters Beatrice never imagined herself doing this with anyone.

She never imagined it, but God help her it feels so good.

Her hands are pressed down on either side of Ava’s head, all she can do is watch the delighted look on Ava’s face as she succumbs to the pleasure of riding Ava’s strap. She’s been at it for a while now, her legs are starting to ache, but oh does it feels so much better than she ever imagined.

That day in the hospital, bent over Ava’s desk was quick and delightful, but this has been a slow torture - the best kind.

Her hips rock up and down, she can hear the sounds they're making and feel Ava’s hands as they roam down her lower back and caress her butt. Ava’s guiding her, just a little, but Beatrice couldn’t stop right now if Jesus himself walked in the room.

No, she’s lost in this - has been for a while now. It’s reaching a strange juncture and she knows it. This thing with Ava, it’s becoming familiar. That’s new, that’s unlike anything Beatrice has experienced before.

They're starting to learn each other in little ways. Beatrice knows Ava likes cuddling and gets impatient with foreplay. Ava has more fun giving than receiving but isn’t opposed to spending an entire night on her back.

Beyond that, Beatrice knows Ava’s favorite drink, her favorite snack after sex when it’s too early to go to bed. She knows the way Ava takes her coffee (an absurd amount of caramel creamer) and that sometimes Ava can't sleep and Beatrice will find her sitting on the couch in her living room listening to very soft music and just…watching the skyline outside her window.

She looks forward to the day she finds out why and the chance to help her through it.

It’s a lot more than she bargained for when she decided to just have fun with Ava.

That’s the thing though, it is still incredibly fun. This, right now, is wonderful. She feels so good and there’s no pressure - no guilt or worry. Certainly Lilith has become borderline insufferable about it, but she has her own very poorly kept secrets.

Beatrice is losing the battle with containing her ever growing orgasm, but she wants to hold it back as long as she can.

Content as she is, she keeps her hips rocking up and down, her pace slowing when she needs it to and then picking up when she settles.

“So sexy, Bea, Who knew you were so good at this?” Ava says, Ava also enjoys talking during sex - Beatrice isn’t as good at it.

Especially not now, when she feels so wonderfully full. “Ava,” Beatrice whispers, voice breaking - she can feel the sweat beading on her forehead as a sharp moan slips free.

“Okay,” Ava moves then, hands pressing deeper into Beatrice’s hips to hold her steady. She feels Ava’s legs shifting, feet pressing into the mattress for leverage. “Hang on, Bea.”

She does, she holds her hips up just a bit, the tip of the toy just barely inside of her still. She can feel her pussy clenching tightly, as if it’s trying to find the rest of it again.

That’s when Ava starts, her hips thrusting upward into Beatrice with hard, pounding strokes that make her jolt.

Oh, oh this is intense.

Beatrice’s eyes close, her head falling forward into the crook of Ava’s neck as she bites down on the skin there - desperate to latch on to something.

Ava is hammering into her steadily, sharply and it feels incredible. Beatrice has never ever been taken like this before, she’s never let anyone have the chance.

She’s never trusted someone enough to let go like this.

It feels so good, and Ava’s hands are sturdy and strong (Ava is surprisingly well put together on all fronts) and Beatrice is hers for the taking.

The pace quickens and she can hear Ava panting in her ear, her hips driving the dildo deeper and deeper into her aching cunt. Ava’s hands spread her open, somehow making it all feel even better.

“Ava, Ava I’m coming, Ava…” she’s struggling to speak, struggling to catch her breath - it’s boiling over and Ava suddenly rolls Beatrice over.

They fumble a bit, but Beatrice is on her side now and Ava swings Beatrice’s leg over so they're both pressed together.

Ava’s on her knees, Beatrice lying on her side and now Ava has all the leverage.

She starts driving into her again, the angle causing the toy to sink even further and it’s almost overwhelming.

Her right leg is lifted up, hooked by Ava’s arm underneath it to give her more access and Beatrice just…lets her. She doesn’t try to regain control, doesn't try to match Ava’s intensity or pace.

No, she just lays there and lets herself be fucked.

She’s moaning now, deep and strained - the pressure is building rapidly, she’s on the brink.

When she looks up and sees Ava’s face, her eyes are closed, expression tight - she’s feeling it just as much as Beatrice is.

Then it hits her, fast and hot and Beatrice crumbles. Her orgasm tears through her, making her leg snap down instinctually and drag Ava down as well.

Still, Ava keeps moving, keeps gliding in and out of her as Beatrice feels her body tremble.

She’s read enough stories to hear about ‘seeing stars’ but never once has she actually experienced it - until now.

Her vision is genuinely white for a moment and when the dim lighting of Ava’s room, only lit by the lights of the city outside, it all comes back to her.

“Okay,” Beatrice says, feeling over sensitive and Ava nods before taking a breath and reaching between them.

She pulls the toy out of Beatrice, who whimpers for some reason she’ll never be able to explain and then a moment later, the strap is gone and all of Ava’s weight is lying on top of her.

It’s a surprisingly delightful feeling.

“Jesus, Bea. You just kept going,” Ava’s laugh is close to her ear, but as delightful as ever.

Beatrice can barely move, not in a bad way though, her limbs feel like jelly. “I know how to control my body.”

Ava hums pleasantly. “You know how to move your body. I thought you said you’d never done that before?”

That’s just enough to make Beatrice shift a bit, to seek out Ava’s eyes and meet them. “I haven’t.”

“Well you were good, I -” Ava flushes a bit, it’s rather cute. “I almost came with you.”

Those words are all it takes for Beatrice to suddenly need to see and hear Ava come. “Well, you know animal instinct is a fundamental part of being human, at our depths - we learn to seek out the things that we desire.”

The more she looks at Ava, watches her as she speaks, the more her pupils seem to be blown out. Ava has this look, it’s hard to explain to anyone (and Beatrice is thankful there’s no one around asking about it) that makes Beatrice feel like she's the most beautiful woman in the world.

It’s an entirely new experience, and Beatrice has no idea what to do with it. “I guess you bring that instinct out of me,” Beatrice says, leaning up to capture Ava’s lips in a soft, wanting kiss. Her tongue runs along Ava’s bottom lip, asking for access that is easily given.

She tastes Ava then, vague hints of chocolate from the lava cake they bought at Applebees earlier. When Beatrice slides her tongue along the roof of Ava’s mouth, she moans.

Beatrice feels Ava’s hips starting to rock a little, seeking something to find purchase on.

With a bit of adjustment, Beatrice offers her thigh as a point of contact. As soon as Ava finds it, she starts to grind herself against it.

Sliding her hand down, she grabs Ava’s ass and keeps her at a steady pace, feeling the moisture dripping down her leg. “Bea,” Ava mumbles against Beatrice’s lips. The kiss breaks and that means Beatrice is free to roam.

So she does, her mouth moving along Ava’s jaw and down her neck. She finds the spot she bit earlier, still red and tender, she attacks it. Beatrice scrapes her teeth along the skin, the latches on and sucks hard over the marks left behind - making them darken.

The more frantic Ava’s grinding becomes, the more Beatrice knows it won’t be enough.

So she lifts her knee, bringing Ava’s hips up with her, and then drops it quickly. Before Ava can complain, Beatrice’s hand slips between them and her fingers seek out Ava’s clit.

That’s not her target, but it’s a good place to start. She runs slow, gentle circles over it before she moves lower and presses her fingers inside of Ava. She’s so warm, so wet and waiting.

Beatrice barely has time to enjoy the sensation though before Ava throws her head back with a moan and lets Beatrice know what she needs.

So Beatrice gets to work. Her movements quick and determined, she fucks Ava with no intention of dragging it out - this is all about getting Ava over the edge so they can both rest - they're exhausted.

Beatrice is sweaty and tired, her shoulders are sore, her legs are still a little wobbly, but Ava needs this and Beatrice is delighted to give it to her.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck…” Ava chants again and again, all but riding Beatrice’s fingers at this point. It’s a vulgar sound that fills the room, Ava’s wetness is unmatched compared to any woman Beatrice has ever been with - she makes messes. “Come…coming…I’m…unf!”

Ava comes with a spike, her hips rising off of Beatrice’s fingers entirely as she curls into herself and rolls over.

She’s a crumpled mess on the mattress, turning onto her back and using her own fingers to finish the job.

Beatrice props up on her elbow to watch, admiring the beautifully red hue of Ava’s chest and neck as she comes. When it’s over, she’s panting, left leg twitching up and down as she chews hard on her bottom lip.

“Easy,” Beatrice coos, kissing along Ava’s chest and collarbone.

About a minute passes before Ava opens her eyes again. “Holy fuck,”

Beatrice laughs, as has happened a lot the last few weeks. Ava’s very good at it. “Don’t get too comfortable.”

“Bea, you’re not kicking me out are you?”

“No, but the bed is a mess and you’re the one with the bathroom after intercourse rule.”

Ava pouts, it’s adorable. “Oh…right…I’m a doctor, huh? You fucked the med school right out of me.”

Beatrice can't help herself, she kisses her. She’s been doing that more lately, without the intent of it leading to more. She just…she enjoys kissing Ava.

She enjoys the way Ava smiles against her lips when she does.

-------------------------

“I knew it!” Lilith slams something down on the table to punctuate her words.

Beatrice’s fingers freeze on her laptop, eyes glancing up over the screen where Lilith is holding a few folders in her hands. “I see you’ve chosen dramatics this morning.”

Lilith glares at her. “Don’t you start with me, this is…” she growls, actually growls. “I mean it’s not surprising, in fact, it might just be the least surprising thing to happen since we’ve been here.

She doubts that, but Lilith doesn’t know everything. “What’s happened, Lilith?”

“Oh, I’ll tell you. I’ve found a massive root to this hospital's financial problem.” Lilith opens a few of the folders, too far for Beatrice to see anything, but this appears to be more of Lilith’s dramatics. “Turns out, your precious Dr. Silva is bullying the finances department to not send the remainder of bills to patients who have trouble affording it or are struggling with insurance coverage. There are dozens of incidents and because the finances department is full of weak willed babies, they give in to her!”

Standing up, Beatrice moves around the table and keeps her thoughts and emotions in check. She picks up the documents, reading through them and it’s pretty obvious that bills are being rescinded, some even erased. There are even a few cases of them being paid by the hospital, which Beatrice can only assume come from Ava’s salary.

It is equal parts amazingly kind and painfully disappointing - and not at all surprising.

“There do seem to be a few discrepancies.”

“A few dis…” Lilith looks disgusted. “Beatrice, snap the fuck out of it! I know she’s attractive and I share a wall with you so I know she’s in your hotel room at least three times this week, but this is still your job, our job, and this is grounds for dismissal.”

Beatrice tenses. “First of all, we are a consulting firm, none of the potential discipline for this falls on us, our job is to try and save this hospital, not manage internal disputes.”

“Well I’m certainly going to take this to Dr. Superion, she needs to know what is happening in her own hospital.”

She doesn’t have the heart to tell her that Dr. Superion probably already knows Ava does this. “Very well,”

“You’re going to back me on this claim, right? You can't agree with this.”

“She’s helping people.”

Lilith’s jaw falls open. “You…snap out of it!”

“You’re being irrational, and don’t pretend as if you’re not in the same situation as me, I doubt Dr. Simone was parked outside our hotel room this morning because she enjoys the continental breakfast.”

It doesn't last very long, but the way Lilith recoils at the accusation is almost worth the rant that follows. “Don’t bring…that is not…don’t change the subject! I’m still here doing my job and not blindly ignoring what's right in front of me! You’re not doing your job!”

It’s a deep cut, one Beatrice does not appreciate. “I’m sorry if I’m not witch hunting, Lilith. I’m trying to find a way to keep this place going. A few missed bills over the course of…” she thumbs through the documents, taking in the dates. “Five years, is not the reason the hospital is struggling.”

Lilith rolls her eyes. “They aren’t helping.”

“If you wish to speak with Dr. Superion, feel free, I will take these to Ava and ask her directly.”

That seems to be the last bit of it Lilith can take. “You do that, and I’ll talk to Dr. Superion, but first…I’m calling Mary.”

“Lilith…”

“No, I’m done with this shit. If we really want to save this place, we need a pitbull.” The way she says it only reminds Beatrice of Ava calling Lilith a doberman.

Ava has built a home in her subconscious. “That’s not necessary.”

“No, it is.” Lilith is already moving out of the room. “You need to get your head in the game, Beatrice. Or your doctor is going to be looking for a new place to work.”

The door shuts behind Lilith and Beatrice exhales finally. She picks up one of the files - a CT Scan and an MRI - with a five day stay in the hospital attached to it.

The patient only paid around $120 for all of it. The rest seems to have disappeared.

PAID IN FULL

“Ava…”

---------------------------

“You can't be serious!”

Beatrice stops outside the doorway of a small room in the ER and waits. The lady at the front desk told her that Ava was there with a patient, Beatrice was only going to wait outside but the door was open.

From her spot in the hall, she can see into the room where a young boy is sitting up on the examination table with a parent at his back. He’s small, with a sweet smile and a glowing look on his face as he watches Ava.

Beatrice can truly relate.

“I am serious, dude! It’s called loyalty, I know they suck now, but when the Mariners get it together and finally win that World Series-”

“You’ll be dead!” The boy says.

“Diego!” His mother (Beatrice assumes) chides him. None of it matters though when Ava’s warm laughter fills the room. “I’m just saying, Mom! The Rockies went to one like….way more recently than Seattle.”

“Yes, but Seattle has the better team now, young and talented - can you open your mouth for me? Say ahh.” Ava watches him do as he’s told, pressing the tongue depressor into his mouth as she keeps going. “The Rockies just keep letting their best players go. You traded away the best player in team history and had to give the team you traded him to like…$50 million dollars to take him.”

“E hafn dun anfing.” The boy mumbles, and Beatrice can feel his mother’s sigh from here.

“Diego, just…hold your opinion for ten seconds.” His mother pats his back.

Ava gives one last look into his mouth before drawing out her depressor and turning off the very cute light she has on her forehead.

When she does, Diego starts again. “Arenado hasn’t done anything since he was traded. Eliminated in the first round last year!”

“I’m just saying, neither one of us should be trash talking, we’re both struggling.”

Diego hums with a pout. “The Mariners are coming to Colorado this year, you should go to a game with me!”

That’s the first time Beatrice sees it, the crack in the armor where the doctor has to take precedence over the person.

Ava meets Diego’s mother’s eyes, something unspoken between them. “We’ll be in Boston then, sweetheart - at the clinic.”

“Oh, right,” Diego’s face falls at that, it’s rather painful.

“Hey, bright side, Fenway is like…super close to the clinic and they give tickets out to the patients sometimes so you should be able to score some great seats!”

There’s so much hope in Ava’s voice, she’s trying her absolute best to keep Diego smiling.

It only works a little. “True,” he nods. “They play Seattle a few times, you could come and watch a game there?”

At that, Ava gives him her absolute best smile. “You got it, we’ll take in a whole series.”

The way she says it, Beatrice knows she means every word.

When they start readying themselves to leave, Beatrice moves deeper into the hall, finding herself staring at the map on the wall that guides people around the building. She’s not really looking at it, just pretending until she can get Ava alone.

Diego and his mother take their leave, Beatrice can hear Ava say goodbye to them, but even after they're gone, Ava doesn’t immediately come out of the exam room.

For so long in fact, that Beatrice feels herself wandering in that direction to peek inside.

As she leans in to look, she finds Ava sitting on the stool she was on when Diego was there, staring at the floor - lost in thought.

She’s set the tablet on the examination table, along with her stethoscope and the little headlight she was wearing.

Her brows are creased tight, lips downturned into a frown.

Beatrice decides to come back later, giving Ava her space, but when she turns she smacks her elbow into the door and it flies open just enough to hit the wall.

Ava jumps, turning sharply on the stool, making it roll beneath her. “Oh! Bea, hey,” she smiles - so sharp and pretty Beatrice almost forgets it’s probably not entirely real.

“Ava, I apologize, I didn’t mean to bother you.”

“No, it’s fine,” Ava waves her off, grabbing her stethoscope and twirling it around her finger - it’s somewhat of a tick that Beatrice has picked up on.

That’s another thing about Ava now, Beatrice knows her ticks - knows these little things about her.

Like the fact that she will get a song stuck in her head in the morning and Beatrice will catch her singing it through the halls of this place when they pass one another.

It’s a very strange feeling to hear Ava singing in a public setting, only to remember the soft hums of that same song filling the space between them as they lay naked in bed together.

“I can come back if you…you seemed contemplative.”

Ava laughs softly. “One word for it I suppose. Did you…see the family that left?”

“The little boy?” Ava nods. “Yes, they…he seemed very sweet.”

That’s when Ava wraps the stethoscope around her neck, holding onto both ends as she does. “He is, he’s…he’s so cool and funny. So smart too like…he’s going to change the world.”

There’s more to it. “But?”

Ava closes her eyes. “He has papillomatosis…” she says and then looks up and catches Beatrice’s curious look. “Laryngeal cancer, it’s aggressive, too…” she sighs. “His mom brought him in with a wheeze in his breathing and just…a cough he couldn't shake.” She watches Ava’s focus fade a little. “I thought it was bronchitis, he’s a kid, you know? They catch shit. So I gave him medicine for the cough, for the wheeze and three weeks later he was back. I thought it might be asthma, but the trouble breathing was too consistent. We put him on oxygen for a few weeks to help him out and he still had symptoms. Then I just…it hit me.”

The usual victorious tone Beatrice is used to with most doctors who diagnose something challenging isn’t there. Dr. Ava Silva is known for her diagnostic prowess - she’s been called a genius because of it.

This hardly looks like the face of someone waiting for a pat on the back. “Is he going to be okay?”

“He should be, but it’s too far along, we can't help him here - so I hooked him up with a great clinic in Boston. It’s…it’s a lot of money and I’m asking his mother to move to a new state halfway across the country - but you do what you have to, right? At least, good parents do.”

Beatrice wants to say she wouldn't know - she never had good parents. She realizes at this moment how much she wants to share her story, her past, with Ava - who has already done that for her a few times over.

She makes a promise to do exactly that, but this isn’t about her right now. “You’re doing the best you can.”

“Maybe,” Ava sighs, finally meeting Beatrice’s eyes. “It’s just frustrating when I’m supposedly so good at something, then it takes me two months to figure out a kid has cancer when the symptoms were clear as fucking day.”

Despite herself, and the reason she came down here in the first place, Beatrice steps over to Ava and rests a hand on her knee. “You said it yourself, Ava. He’s a kid - they get sick. They get sore throats and colds. You’re not at fault for not immediately assuming the worst.”

Ava gave her a long, soft look that lingered beyond the moment and truly started to draw Beatrice in. She was just about to take another step closer when Ava spoke again. “So what brings you here? I know I’m hot but you usually have pretty good resistance to my charms during work hours.” Ava’s grin is back, soft and easy. She scoops up the rest of her things and stands up.

“I -” Beatrice knows why she’s supposed to be here, asking Ava about convincing the financial staff to let some bills slip through the cracks. It’s bad business, part of the problem this hospital is facing. It essentially goes against every reason why Beatrice is here. “I was just checking to see if we were still on for tonight?”

The thought of piling more on Ava after everything with Diego seems like too much - so Beatrice decides to hold it back. Lilith will sort it all out regardless and if Mary really is coming then Beatrice only has so long to truly exist in this little bubble.

“Oh for sure! I can't stay out too late though, one of our residents is sick and Superion forced him out for the week, so I have to work a double to cover and be back here by like…two in the morning. I’m choosing to be irrationally furious about it.”

Beatrice studies her dutifully. “You don’t seem irrationally furious.”

“Well I’m not right now, I’m saving it for 2AM. Whoever is on shift with me is in for a nightmare.”

“So they’ll suffer the wrath of cranky, coffee-fueled Dr. Silva?”

She watches the sharp frown Ava forces on as they reach the bullpen, her eyebrows clenched downard, eyes narrow - she looks adorable. “I can be a real monster, Bea. A dictator!”

“Mmm,” Beatrice reaches up and boops her nose. “Like a cute little hedgehog, I think.”

“Wow Bea,” Ava’s features soften into a pout, lips so soft that Beatrice wants to kiss them. “Way to squash my power trip.”

That’s kind of the thing, really - Ava is probably the most powerful person in this hospital and she doesn’t even know it. If she does, she certainly doesn’t use it.

Dr. Ava Silva is the reason this hospital has any sort of reputation. Sure, the others here are good, Beatrice has done her research. Camila is one of the best pediatric doctors in the state and she works for a hospital that doesn’t even have a specified pediatric wing. She’s literally here to handle urgent care patients who happen to be children.

Chanel is a top quality surgeon. She spent seven years treating athletes for sports related injuries and turned down two offers from actual pro sports teams to work on their staff exclusively.

None of them are at Ava’s level though. None of them have had articles written about them. None of them have had hospitals from all over the world contact them to try and lure them in and promise them the world.

That’s what Ava’s had ever since she graduated - she could be the face of modern medicine if she truly wanted to be.

Instead, she’s working late night shifts at a failing hospital and will probably end up taking Beatrice out to eat at Red Robin or somewhere equally ridiculous.

“What are your thoughts, truly, on the state of this hospital?” She’s never really asked Ava this before - never pressed into her feelings about the place she very clearly cares for could potentially merge or shut down entirely.

Ava takes a breath then, tapping a few things into her tablet before she sets it down on the desk. “I think this place is good,” she starts, leaning back against the big whiteboard behind the counter where patients are marked alongside their doctors and the room they're in. It’s a very old school system, as endearing as the hospital itself. “I’m not naive to the fact that, like everything else, money is the be all end all - I just think it’s fucking stupid when that superscedes people’s lives, you know?”

Beatrice catches herself smiling, despite herself. It feels very out of character for her, really. She’s always been rational and prudent. Ideals never ever stood in the way of the smart decision and this is an idea - Ava herself is an idealist.

But…the passion she speaks with, the true heart behind her words makes it hard for Beatrice to say anything to try and take that away from her. “I know, but my job here is to make sure you are able to do that, in this place, for a long time.”

“Well, according to Camila, you’re very good at your job.”

“Oh?” Beatrice realizes then that she really knows nothing about Ava’s people - they’ve truly put themselves into a little bubble. “That’s odd, considering I haven’t spoken more than five words to her.”

Ava laughs. “Well, she and Superion are really close so it wouldn't surprise me if they co-conspired to bring you into my life.”

The way she words it settles deep in Beatrice’s chest, some awful, long forgotten darkness in the pit of her stomach tells her that Ava might just be manipulating her. Flirting and smiling and saying these things to sway Beatrice into letting her get away with what she wants.

But Beatrice pushes it away, lets the thought develop, process and then escape as quickly as it arrived.

Ava Silva is never anything but herself, for better or worse. She’s not the kind of person to have an ulterior motive.

“Me?” Beatrice teases a little, seeing the small crack in Ava’s defenses when she catches her own slip.

As always, Ava is very good at adapting. “Unless you and Superion have something going on I don’t know about?”

“I do not,” they need to talk about work, about numbers and billing and steps to improve. Beatrice needs to do her damn job but Ava looks at her sometimes and Beatrice swears her brain shuts down. “Are we doing anything this evening? If you’d rather not with your shift I can-”

The smile she gets in return doesn’t help her work ethic one bit. “I’d love to, I actually have a new place in mind for dinner.”

Beatrice groans. “Ava…”

“No I know, but what are your thoughts on seafood?”

Oh God help her, Ava’s going to take her to Red Lobster. “I - I enjoy good seafood.”

“Great! Then yeah, I definitely think we should go out tonight.”

Go out.

It’s what they do. They go out, they’ve been out a total of twelve times in the time Beatrice has been here. They’ve also had sex seventeen times.

Yes she’s counting, but she counts everything - she likes numbers.

“Very well, I will make sure you get home early for your shift.”

Ava shrugs, “not too early.” She kisses Beatrice on the cheek - it’s so improper that the lingering feeling of Ava’s lips stings longer than normal. “Save your appetite.”

She watches Ava wink, then turn around and smack her foot into an empty gurney sitting in the hallway. She curses, hopping on one foot as she makes her way down the hall.

Uh oh.

----------------------

As soon as Beatrice sees the sign on the road, three turns before they even reach it, she knows exactly where they're going.

“Ava?” She lets out a warning note, turning and seeing Ava’s cheeky grin light up as she leans down to see the sign. “Ava, you can't be serious.”

“Oh come on! Their slogan is literally ‘we speak fish’! I bet it’s amazing!”

Beatrice winces, feeling her stomach already lurching. “Long John Silvers? I’ve heard horror stories, Ava.”

“You also thought that about TGI Fridays and the second time we went I swear you were excited.”

She was excited, because she knew the food wouldn't make her sick and also because she and Ava hadn't been out in three days and she was happy to be there with her.

This though, this feels like too much. “I do not understand your dedication to these types of places.”

“They’re fun! And diverse, you have to admit we’ve never had the same experience twice. In the restaurant or a bathroom.”

“I am not having sex with you in a Long John Silvers bathroom, Ava.”

Ava cackles at that as they turn into the parking lot - the decidedly empty parking lot.

There cannot be more than four cars here and Beatrice likes to think at least three people are working. “Are we sure it’s even open?” She asks and Ava points to the sign on the door. “Right there, the open sign with the cute little fish!”

Beatrice notes the fish, which is fairly cute, and the word open coming out of its mouth in neon light. She’s also fairly certain it is the beacon of her impending demise.

Still, she climbs out of the car after Ava once they’ve parked and walks with her into the restaurant - the smell of deep fry oil nearly overwhelming her.

As indicated by the parking lot, the inside is pretty barren. Beatrice sees a slew of empty tables and open space - there is one family in the back of about four all eating together and then a few pairings in various spots. Maybe eleven total customers - with the two of them making thirteen.

“Come on, we can seat ourselves.”

Beatrice huffs. “No kidding,” then follows Ava as before.

Thankfully, the table they find is clean and Beatrice slides her seat around a bit so she’s closer to Ava, and so she can look out the window more as opposed to the interior of the restaurant.

“Okay, I’ll admit, the smell is a bit much,” Ava says as she sheds her coat and lets it hang over the back of her seat.

The look Beatrice tries to convey can only be equated to the visual representation of ‘I told you so’. “You don’t say?”

Ava winces. “Look, if the food is a bust we can swing by Baskin Robbins and get some ice cream.”

“Oh? That’s a bullet you’re willing to take, I see. Getting yourself ice cream in repentance for making me suffer through oversized fish sticks.”

When Ava laughs, Beatrice smiles and rolls her eyes and Ava kicks her foot under the table. It’s all so much, too much - but she’s tired of using that phrase. It’s not too much with Ava, it’s just…Ava. Just how they are - how comfortable it is.

The most fun she’s had in…forever. “Alright you’re not entirely wrong,” Ava spins her open menu to face Beatrice. Staring back at her are various shaped fried foods that all look the same, with the same side dishes and attached sauces.

Yet somehow, they all are listed as something different.

“Alaskan Pollock? If this fish is from Alaska then I am from the North Pole.”

Ava giggles. “Well saddle up Mrs. Claus because Long John doesn’t lie.”

“What is…” Beatrice reaches out and grabs for Ava’s menu, despite having her own, her hand atop Ava’s as she drags it over to look. “A hushpuppy?”

“Batter,” Ava says. “It’s literally just deep fried cornmeal batter.”

Beatrice visually shudders. “Does nothing about this place fire off any of your medical alarms? Do you not worry about your heart? My heart?”

“You’re being dramatic now, it’s not like we’re gonna be eating here every night.” Then Ava reaches out, taking Beatrice’s hand and nudging it to flip over. When it does, Ava twines their fingers together. “Don’t worry though, I always take your heart into consideration.”

Ah, so apparently Ava is choosing violence this evening. “That’s a line,” Beatrice says and Ava winks with barely withheld mirth. “A pretty good one though, I must admit.”

“Good evening, ladies. My name is Donovan, I’ll be your server tonight, can I interest you in our catch of the day?”

Beatrice has to literally bite her tongue not to make some kind of comment. If there even is real fish here, it was most definitely caught months ago.

Then there’s Ava. “Ooh I’m interested! You could say you’ve lured me in, Donnie.”

Wincing, Beatrice peeks a glance towards Donovan, fully prepared to see him upset at the terrible pun that was just thrown at him on what was either the beginning or the end of his shift and Long John Silvers.

Instead, as always, he’s wearing a smile directed at Ava. Granted, Ava’s wearing a pretty generous top with a low cut and, well, she’s a delight to look at. Still, her personality just makes people feel better - it’s her gift.

They give Donovan their orders after that, neither of them order the catch of the day. Beatrice doesn't on principle alone.

“It occurs to me that I don’t know as much about you as I’d like to,” Ava says suddenly, her attention fully on Beatrice.

“Oh?”

Ava shrugs. “I’d like to, if that’s okay.”

Turning in her seat, Beatrice settles her elbow on the table. “Alright, what would you like to know?”

“I don’t know, uh…I’ll start basic. Family?”

Beatrice almost laughs at how exhaustingly non-basic her family is. “I don’t speak to my family anymore,” she says, doing her best to keep any trauma out of her voice. They don’t deserve the emotion.

Still, Ava softens. “Sorry, I don’t -”

“No it’s okay, you don’t have to apologize. They're conservative, I am overwhelmingly homosexual. That didn’t fit in their plan so I didn’t fit in their lives. They gave me a trust fund in exchange for kicking me out of the house at fifteen years old and sending me to boarding school. It was dreadful for a long time, but in the end it was for the best - for both sides.”

Ava’s eyes are a bit wide and Beatrice doesn't really blame her. It’s a lot of information and she delivers it with the efficiency of someone who has had plenty of time to process and frame the story properly.

“Sounds like they fucked up. Couldn’t imagine having Beatrice in my life and letting her go.” Ava says, her words given weight when Ava’s hand drops on Beatrice’s knee. “So how’d you end up getting into…financial…whatever it is you do.”

Beatrice laughs, Ava is so delightfully disarming. “It wasn't entirely on purpose. I have always been good with numbers and information. I had a professor in college tell me that my brain was like a filing cabinet. I can store away data and draw it out whenever I need to - it’s not the most useful skill in the world, but it comes in handy with my work.”

“But it wasn't what you dreamed of doing?”

“Do many people dream of becoming a financial analyst?” Beatrice shrugs as she says it, she doesn’t hate her job at all - in fact she’s very good at it and when she actually helps keep a hospital afloat it’s a wonderful feeling. But it is far from a dream job. “I don’t mind it, really.”

“Okay,” Ava leans in a bit, their knees touching, their hands touching as the world around them falls away. When she looks into Ava’s eyes, Beatrice can almost imagine the interior of Long John Silver’s as something romantic. “So what is your dream job?”

“I don’t really have one,” she answers honestly, even though it makes Ava frown. “Not in a bad way, I have just never really had a passion before when it comes to work. I’m passionate about books and music - about art. I find great passion in a perfectly sorted DVD collection.”

As she hoped, the comment makes Ava laugh and Beatrice notes internally how hard she works for that every day now. Making Ava laugh is unlike anything Beatrice has experienced since she was eight years old. Running around her parents estate with a jar as she tried to catch ladybugs. Each time she managed to snag one, it was a tiny, perfect victory.

“You would still have DVDs,” Ava says, then Beatrice feels her move - closing the space between them to drop a kiss on her cheek. “So more fun stuff, tell me about…” Ava drags out the last word as she thinks, Beatrice finds it strange how unafraid she is. She’ll answer anything. “Oh okay, how did you and Lilith meet?”

“Grad school,” Beatrice says. “We suffered through it together, more like - but that was where we connected and then we were hired onto the same firm together. She was a year before me, but we ended up working a lot of cases with one another, but it was a big firm and oftentimes we were left without much help or resources.”

“So you…what? Decided to dip and start your own?”

Beatrice nods. “Precisely, we were both very good at what we did, we were simply not being given the opportunity. We branched out, brought a few people with us and took a risk.”

Ava’s smile changes, a hint of pride in it now that fills an empty space in Beatrice’s chest she’s never noticed before. “That’s pretty cool, starting from scratch like that isn’t easy,” she says with the weight of personal experience. Beatrice knows it’s true.

This time, Beatrice is the one who finds herself stricken with a need. She needs Ava to feel the pride in her chest, the same pride Ava gave to her.

So she takes Ava’s hand and lifts it, pressing her lips to Ava’s knuckle.

It’s a rare occurrence where Ava actually blushes - usually it happens in the bedroom when Beatrice says something a bit more devious.

This though, this is different - heavier despite the setting.

Beatrice knows she’s walking along a very thin wire without a net.

Funny thing is, she doesn’t really care. She’s almost begging the wind to take her.

When the food comes, it’s a mess. Clumps of greasy, crunchy batter on top of the soggiest, squishiest balls of ‘fish’ that Beatrice has ever seen.

Ava tries, bless her, to push through at least one patty - but halfway through she drops it with a thump on the plate. “This fucking sucks,” she admits with a defeated chuckle. When she sees Beatrice’s plate, completely untouched, she eyes her tauntingly. “Wow, at least I put in some effort.”

“You’re the one who chose this place. I should make you finish the whole thing.”

Ava pouts, it’s so pretty. “Aw come on, Bea. You really want to make out with me all night when my breath smells like indistinct sea creature and grease?”

It’s Beatrice’s turn to be dramatic. “I don’t see why not, I managed to make it through your onion blossom breath last week.”

“Hey!” Ava points a fork at her. “That onion blossom was life changing.” She drops the fork as well, picking up a napkin and wiping her face. “Okay, yeah I think we should get some ice cream and go have sex, don’t you?”

So forward, so unsubtle and yet…it’s all Beatrice can think about. “I think we should stop and get something with a bit more sustenance first. My treat.”

“Ooh, frozen yogurt?”

“Not quite.”

An hour later they're both full on good sushi and each of them have a cup of ice cream as they make their way into the parking garage of Ava’s apartment.

While it was probably more logical to go to Beatrice’s hotel, because then Ava could just go home when she needs to instead of having to drive Beatrice back - but if she has to Beatrice will call for a ride.

The truth is, she doesn't want to go back to her hotel room. She wants to keep living in this tiny little window of distorted reality they manage to fall into when they go out like this.

It’s probably a case of fooling herself, but Beatrice doesn’t care at the moment. She likes being here with Ava, getting to act like she’s not here for work or that isn’t temporary or potentially a very big mistake.

Being with Ava feels like the furthest thing from a mistake that Beatrice could imagine.

Not much is said as they make their way up to the apartment, more so because Ava is speedrunning her ice cream since she didn’t get to have any on the drive home and it was starting to melt.

Once they reach her place, Beatrice catches herself again being too comfortable. She takes off her shoes without prompt, setting them down next to Ava’s (who kicked them off without even bending over to untie them).

Then Beatrice goes into Ava’s kitchen and opens Ava’s fridge for a bottle of water without even asking (because she’s been told she doesn’t have to multiple times), all the while Ava finishes off her treat and is now flipping through her phone to find some mood music.

Ava is so comfortable in her apartment. She dances to the music she sings in her own head as she flips through songs she isn’t even playing. Her lab coat and stethoscope gone, replaced with a leather jacket and a well worn blue hat because hair ‘just wasn't feeling it’ after her shift.

She’s this whole situation all on her own, this enigma that seems like such a mystery to everyone around her and yet so completely open to Beatrice. It feels weird to talk to people about Ava, none of them really seem to know her - not entirely. Sure, Beatrice hasn’t spent much time with Camila or Chanel, who seem to be her closest friends - but Beatrice feels like she’s been tapped into Ava from the moment they met.

Well, except for not automatically knowing Ava was a doctor she’d be working with for the next few months the night they met. In her defense though, the cowboy hat and accompanying outfit threw her off.

These thoughts and feelings, along with watching Ava move in her own space as she puts on some music and grins when the song starts, decides for Beatrice what she wants tonight.

Taking a big swig of her water, Beatrice puts it back in the fridge and moves into the living area and directly into Ava’s personal space.

Her front presses into Ava’s back, hands moving Ava’s hair aside before pressing a kiss to the back of her neck.

She carefully removes Ava’s jacket, lying it on the couch before plucking the hat off her head and setting it down on an end table.

Ava’s body tightens, surprised and the gasp that escapes her flows as long as it takes for the tension to fade. Then she’s pressing back into Beatrice, hands seeking out the arms wrapped around her.

It’s very intimate, gentle and Beatrice savors the way Ava sinks into it

She thinks about earlier today, watching Ava with Diego and seeing how hard it was for her to admit that she couldn't help him.

Except she did, clearly and she deserves to be rewarded, to know she’s done well.

So Beatrice will give her everything tonight.

It starts with kisses on the neck, then she moves upward to trace along Ava’s jaw - all the while her hands roam upwards and cup her breasts over her top.

She can't deny it anymore, she has an immense fixation on Ava’s chest. Her breasts feel so good in Beatrice’s hands, in her mouth, between her teeth - she squeezes them and Ava hums with delight.

Moving her hand down, Beatrice starts to pull Ava’s shirt up and lifts it over her chest and towards Ava’s face.

She uses her fingers to push Ava’s mouth open, then shoves the bottom of Ava’s shirt inside. “Hold this,” she directs and Ava bites down on the bottom of her shirt, holding it up.

That gives Beatrice full access to Ava’s toned stomach and she takes full advantage. Her fingertips rake down her sternum, stopping at the waistband of her pants, she skims her finger gently beneath her pants.

Then they rise back up, taking her breasts in her hands again, but this time slipping underneath Ava's bra. She feels pebbled nipples against her palms, moving so her thumbs can roll over them - teasing her.

Ava is starting to move against her now, hips rolling seemingly of their own volition and Beatrice decides to press further.

She shifts Ava’s bra up over her breasts and then squeezes them, pinching her nipples between her fingers as she continues to lavish Ava’s neck with her open mouth kisses.

“I’m going to fuck you tonight, Ava. “Beatrice says, feeling Ava shudder as she speaks. “I’m going to fuck you in as many ways as I possibly can. You’re going to go to work in the morning thinking of me, feeling me all over you,” she pops the button on Ava’s pants and slips her hand inside her panties, immediately sliding into the wetness waiting there. “Inside of you.” She fingers her at a steady pace, hearing Ava moan while still holding the shirt between her teeth.

Beatrice has her chin rested on Ava’s shoulder, staring down and watching her hand move beneath Ava’s pants.

She presses into Ava again and again, feeling her fall apart with each stroke. Her other hand has free reign to roam all over Ava’s body and she takes full advantage. She touches her, everywhere, while also doing her best to keep Ava steady.

This is it, she thinks. This is the most alive she’s felt in years. It’s not even a tragic thing - no she’s been happy enough. She likes her job, she likes her friends and the people she works with.

Her apartment is nice and her favorite restaurant across the street from it makes amazing risotto.

She lives a very good life.

This though, this is something else entirely. Ava makes everything else feel dull.

When Ava reaches back and clutches onto her, holding Beatrice against her as she continues to ride Beatrice’s fingers - something inside Beatrice gives away.

Like a long held latch finally coming loose.

Her priorities have shifted.

She’s falling in love with Ava.

Lilith really is going to kill her.

Chapter Text

As someone who grew up being told she couldn’t have things. Being told that what she wanted was wrong, was dirty, was uncouth and unnatural - Beatrice has grown to truly cherish the things she loves.

Of course, she’s meticulous with her love, careful - she doesn’t hand it out easily.

The little things, like a good cup of tea or a perfectly drawn bath, are small loves that she relishes in freely.

It’s the bigger things that have long escaped her.

Beatrice hasn’t been in love since college. Even if she looks back on that harsh wave of feelings for Victoria Dechart without much pride - given how confused she was of her own feelings and how little she did with them - it was still an entire semester of her life.

It was love though, even back then. Misguided and blind, buried deep within her heart and never shared - she remembers how it felt.

Ava is much the same and somehow entirely different.

Loving Ava isn’t hard. It doesn’t hurt. It’s perhaps frightening, if only because it seems to be that same kind of dangerously consuming feeling where she wakes up in the morning thinking of Ava, goes to bed at night holding her and any time any random thought worth sharing pops into her head, she wants Ava to know about it.

That’s the kind of love she has for Ava - but it’s also something completely new.

Ava makes her laugh. She tells dumb jokes and gets weird food cravings in the middle of the night.

Just two days ago Beatrice and Ava were up in Ava’s kitchen well past eleven making chow mein cookies. It was a concoction Ava had seen in a TikTok video that she couldn’t shake and despite Beatrice’s consistent protests that it did not mix - they made them anyway.

It turned out to be an incredibly fun night full of laughter and bad music that they both danced too in their underwear.

Topped off by the fact that the cookies turned out to be amazing and Beatrice, in turn, had to concede that Ava was a genius in the kitchen.

Even if a night later her ravioli tacos turned out to be a disgustingly soggy mess.

Not a single night with Ava is boring - even the uneventful ones where Ava comes home exhausted from a double shift and falls asleep halfway through Lego Masters with her head on Beatrice’s shoulder.

Tonight is no different, outside of the fact that Mary will be here tomorrow and Lilith is slowly starting to turn into a villain from a bad monster movie.

The funny part is though, it doesn’t bother her. She’s looking forward to seeing Mary, and having an extra set of eyes won’t hurt.

The truth of it all is that Beatrice doesn’t care. She doesn’t care if Mary is coming here to tell her to stop seeing Ava. She doesn’t care if Lilith thinks it’s a bad idea. She doesn't care if they're risking this job.

She loves Ava. It’s not a crush or just good sex (though that is a benefit) - it’s love. True blue and genuine love that she has never experienced before.

Ava’s brightened the colors of her life, showing her colors Beatrice didn’t even know existed.

Never more evident than right now, naked together in Beatrice’s hotel shower. “Has anyone ever told you that you have a really nice butt?” Ava asks, her hands sliding down Beatrice’s back and grabbing two handfuls of her ‘nice butt’.

Beatrice shivers a bit at the feeling, but laughs all the same. “Only when I wasn't interested in hearing it.”

“Ah, so never like this?” Ava props her chin on Beatrice’s shoulder, causing Beatrice to turn her head and look at her.

Lucky, Beatrice thinks every time she sees Ava’s face. She’s so incredibly lucky to be the person who uncovered this gem inside of the prodigy that is Ava Silva.

“Never quite like this, no.” Beatrice kisses her nose. “Are we going to get clean or did you just invite me in here to fool around?”

“I mean…water’s part of the price of the room, right? Not like we’re gonna run out of hot water. Figure we can do both.”

Beatrice rolls her eyes. “Fine, what would you like to do first?”

Ava hums, still leaning on her shoulder (and still keeping a hand on Beatrice’s butt). “I think,” Ava moves then, her hand crawling up Beatrice’s back as it tangles in her wet hair and moves it to the side. She then kisses the back of Beatrice’s neck. “I want to take my time.” Her lips drag lower, between her shoulder blades as her fingers start to trace down each of Beatrice’s sides. “And worship you.”

She feels Ava slide to her knees, hand up and pressing into Beatrice’s back.

Without hesitation, Beatrice spreads her legs and bends forward, planting her hands on the edge of the tub to keep herself steady.

It’s an undeniably exposed position, every inch of her on display for Ava who is tucked between her and the back of the tub. There isn’t much room, but Ava’s not very big (something Beatrice has found great joy in making well-times jokes about) and she’s clearly not all that distressed about it.

“Jesus fuck, Bea. You’re so goddamn sexy, you know that? Like…do you actually know how fucking hot you are?”

Beatrice takes a shaky breath, feeling Ava’s palms glide up the inside of her thighs. Her fingers spread Beatrice’s pussy just a bit before her thumb starts to gently stroke her clit. “You’ve…” Beatrice gasps unexpectedly as a rush of pleasure sparks through her. “You’ve said it a few times now.”

“Yeah, I’ve never been very good at keeping these things to myself.” Ava’s teeth suddenly press into the flesh of her butt. It’s gentle, but she feels it and clenches. “Mmm, but when I see something I like, I feel like it’s only right that I let the world know.”

Suddenly, Ava’s tongue is on her, running a stripe from her clit and upward over her cunt. It’s a fairly obscene position. She’s never been taken like this, it allows Ava’s tongue to sink deep inside of her - something she takes full advantage of.

Her fingers continue their steady rhythm on her clit. Ava’s skilled now in the art of making her feel good. She knows the touches, the speeds, the patterns and the pressure to make Beatrice unravel.

Beatrice moans as another wave hits her, coiling in her stomach and sending a shockwave through her shaky legs. Ava’s hands are on her, holding her steady. She hears Ava make a deep, guttural noise as Beatrice feels herself gush from the sensation.

Ava’s tasting her, drinking her in and by the delighted noises she’s making, she’s loving every second of it.

Two hands grab her ass, squeezing it hard before one pulls back and smacks her. It’s not hard, but the noise bounces off the walls of the shower.

This time, Beatrice’s moan is weak, a whisper that catches in her throat. She slips forward, almost smacking her head into the wall. This position is not exactly comfortable - if she wasn't so trained in balance from years of aikido, there’s a very good chance she would have cracked her skull open.

When Ava finally shifts, drawing out her tongue and replacing it with two fingers pressed inside of her just right, that’s the end of the book.

Beatrice comes hard, unable to stop herself from crying out. “Av-unnff!”

She slips then, her left leg giving out as she buckles. Ava helps guide her to the hard base of the tub, sitting on one knee.

Then suddenly Ava is there behind her, arms wrapped around her and kissing her neck. “You make such cute little noises. If the stuffed shirts in those board meetings about the hospital could hear you like I do they’d never argue with you again.”

“I…” Beatrice takes a breath. “I’m not sure how to respond to that. I don’t think I want the stuffed shirts hearing me like you do.”

“Agreed, Theresa in financing would clutch her pearls if she knew you liked being spanked.”

Beatrice pushes back to her feet, turning to see Ava take a step and close the gap between them. “I do not like being spanked, you merely caught me by -” Ava chooses that moment to spank her once again, making Beatrice jump. “Will you stop!” Beatrice says with a laugh in her throat.

This earns her a kiss. “Sorry, you’re very cute when I catch you off guard. Which is, admittedly, really fucking hard to do.”

“You’ve caught me off guard every day I’ve known you. I met you wearing a cowboy hat and had sex with you in the bathroom of a bar.”

Ava grins, like she planned it that way from the start. “It was the spur shirt, wasn't it? Couldn’t resist.”

“I think it was the way the spur shirt…accentuated certain things that foiled my resistance.”

“Oh?” Ava kisses the side of Beatrice’s neck then, arms coiling around her waist. “You’re talking about my personality right? The way it accentua-oh…”

Beatrice takes control, hot water still spraying down her back as she bends down and takes Ava’s nipple between her lips. She’s never been one to assume anything about herself in the bedroom. She enjoys pleasure, both ends of it, but nothing has ever really stuck out to her as a particularly favorite activity.

But Ava’s breasts? They break the rule. She loves them, thinks about them at random moments during the day and takes them whenever she can. She carries no shame in staring at Ava when she wears a shirt meant to show them off. As soon as Ava’s bra is removed, Beatrice’s hands find their way to touch her.

Even now, after they’ve been naked and wet for almost twenty minutes, those same breasts draw her in all over again.

She takes her time, rolling her tongue over the hardened nipple before pulling it into her mouth and latching onto it. She uses her hand to play with the other, making sure it’s ready for the attention coming its way.

When she switches, Ava presses forward into her, needing more and Beatrice is happy to give it.

“Bea,” Ava whimpers, so delicate and needy. “Please, Bea…”

She knows what Ava wants, foreplay like this isn’t her favorite, she merely lets Beatrice have her fun but after a while Ava craves more.

So Beatrice acquiesces her, dipping her two middle fingers deep inside of Ava’s warm cunt. The grip on Beatrice’s shoulders tightens, Ava using her to stay steady.

While she moves her fingers a little, Ava lets her hips do most of the work. She rides Beatrice’s hand, seeking out what she needs and all the while allowing Beatrice to continue enjoying her body.

Which she does greedily. She moves on from Ava’s breasts, letting her lips ghost over her collarbone and neck. The hand not inside of Ava roams along her toned stomach and strokes over her hip. She caresses her butt and runs her fingers along the scars on Ava’s back.

Up and up she climbs until her fingers are tangled in Ava’s hair. From there, she tugs her head aside and kisses Ava’s neck. Hot, open mouthed as her tongue seeks out Ava’s pulse before her teeth clamp on.

Nothing too hard, she’ll leave a mark but it’s low enough that Ava’s lab coat should cover it.

Still, the desire to mark her higher, to let everyone know that Ava is hers, is growing louder and louder in the back of her mind.

As the hot water on her skin becomes too much, Beatrice pushes them to the other side of the tub and out of the stream.

Now the sound of water slapping the base of the tub fills the bathroom as she presses Ava against the wall.

From there, she starts to put in more work and drives her fingers in and out of Ava at a rapid pace.

Beatrice leans back, wanting to watch the way Ava’s expression twists and the way her chest rises rapidly.

For lack of a better term, Beatrice is railing Ava at a rapid pace. Her eyes are closed tight, body wriggling as the feelings consume her. She’s gorgeous, she’s the most beautiful thing in the whole wide world and Beatrice is ready to give up her whole damned world if she has to.

When Ava’s mouth falls open, a cry ready to escape, Beatrice kisses her then and swallows it.

Ava comes a few heartbeats later, body trembling and legs shaking. She wraps herself around Beatrice to stay on her feet and Beatrice continues to finger her through her orgasm.

When Ava’s hips start to pull away, she slides out, then Ava laughs into her shoulder. “Okay…okay…that,” Ava bites her a little, nothing hard, more akin to how a cat affectionately bites their human.

It sends Beatrice over the edge a little, she reaches up and cups the back of Ava’s head to hold her close. “You’re amazing, Ava” She says, allowing herself this one moment to be soft - to be emotional. “You’re…you’re the best thing that’s happened to me in so long I can't even remember.”

As soon as she says it, Beatrice worries it was too much. They very rarely speak in such soft words to one another. Beatrice rarely speaks that way to anyone.

So when Ava draws back to look at her, Beatrice feels her face heat up and looks away. “Hey,” a finger dips under her chin, lifting her head back up. “There you are.” Ava moves to hold Beatrice’s face in her hand. “It goes both ways, okay? You think I take any random person off the street to PF Changs?”

Beatrice laughs, despite herself, and pulls Ava down for a kiss.

This feels like the moment, the time to admit her feelings. Is it too soon? Perhaps, but she doesn’t care. She wants Ava to know.

“I-”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Ava throws her head back. “I thought you told Lilith not to bother you today?”

“I did. Honestly, it was a mutual agreement to stay out of each other's hair for a day.”

“Well,” more knocking. “I think she sensed we were having a moment and descended upon us like a cockblocking cerberus.”

“A…” when the knocks happen a third time, Beatrice forces herself to move. “Stay here and wash up, I’ll go see what she wants.”

Ava nods and when Beatrice turns to walk out of the shower, she spanks her again.

The glare Beatrice sends back only makes Ava grin widely before the shower door closes.

Beatrice gathers up her robe with the hotel logo imprinted on it and throws it on, tying the ties and feeling her wet feet slosh on the carpet.

When she opens the door, she’s fully prepared for a lecture or a glare or perhaps a bucket of cold water to the face.

What she isn’t prepared for is a front row seat to watch Mary’s eyebrows rise up practically off her forehead. “Well I’ll be damned.” She says and Beatrice clutches her robe a little tighter.

“Mary,” Beatrice keeps her tone soft, she is glad to see Mary - though not entirely like this. “I - I thought you said you were coming tomorrow.”

“Caught an earlier flight, are you…showering at three in the afternoon?”

Beatrice glances to the bathroom and then back. “Yes, I had a late workout, I was just -” a bottle falls in the shower and Beatrice sighs.

When she looks back at Mary, she’s grinning. “Oh wow, okay…Lilith wasn't kidding.”

“Mary…”

“Is she in there right now?”

Beatrice really doesn’t like the idea of them talking about Ava behind her back. “She is,” Beatrice says proudly. “If you give me ten minutes I can send her home and we can chat properly.”

“Oh no,” Mary shakes her head, a devious smile on her face. “Unless she has to go to work or something, which judging by your attire I don’t think she is leaving any time soon, then you and her both are coming out to get lunch with me.”

“Mary, you must be exhausted from your flight, we can-”

“I’m not exhausted, I’m hungry, and I want to meet this girl who is, to quote Lilith, the human representation of that fungus that alters the minds of ants.”

Lilith is so dramatic, Beatrice rolls her eyes and nods. “Fine, can you wait downstairs, I’ll let Ava know.”

“Mmhmm, alright, you’ve got ten minutes.” Mary turns and heads back to the elevator.

Beatrice closes the door, lingering near it for a few seconds before stepping back into the bathroom. She sheds her robe and opens the shower door.

“Oh! Hey, shook her off, huh? Was she-”

“We’re having lunch with Mary.”

Ava frowns, looking adorable with her shampoo covered head. “Who the fuck is Mary?”

“A long time friend and co-worker of mine, Lilith called her because she thinks I’m costing us this job.”

“I should fight Lilith,” Ava says, nodding with an adorable glare as she pounds her two fists together.

Beatrice shakes her head and grabs for the shampoo bottle. “No, you shouldn't. Lilith trains with me and she’s much taller than you.”

Ava gasps, feigning hurt. “Are you saying I couldn’t take her?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, now rinse off, we have an interrogation to go to.”

The shampoo bottle is plucked from her hands and she turns, ready to protest, when she sees Ava pour some into her hand and then feels those same hands start digging into her scalp. “Don’t worry, Bea. I’m great with the shovel talk.”

Beatrice doesn’t know what that means, but Ava’s fingers in her hair makes her forget to even ask.

------------------------

“Okay, I’ll bite,” Ava picks up a breadstick, breaking it in half and dipping it in her alfredo. “Why do they call you Shotgun Mary?”

Beatrice feels like she’s watching a tennis match, her head shifting from side to side as Mary and Ava lob back and forth.

“I used to box, they said my fists were like shotguns, impactful and you felt it everywhere. Wide spread, like a shotgun.”

Ava hums, drawing Beatrice’s eyes back to her. “Alright, that’s pretty scary,” Ava says with a smile.

Mary laughs. “Good, this is my first big sister chat since Lilith thought she wanted to date this shady lawyer douchebag - guy was like forty and he sucked shit at his job.”

“Ooh we had one of those, this Ortho specialist named Crimson thought she was hot shit until she got about five shifts in the ER under her belt. She was so convinced she’d be boss of the whole hospital with her fancy Harvard degree. But not one fucking thing prepared her for drunks throwing up on you with shit in their pants while three GSW’s roll in and you have to mainline one and get blood all over your fancy new shoes.”

The sudden sound of Mary laughing makes Beatrice jump a bit, turning to watch her friend with a huge smile as she stabs a ravioli. “You’re not wrong, my wife has told me countless times about some of her traumas working in hospitals.”

“Oh, your wife is a doctor?”

Mary nods. “Shannon was a doctor for ten years before she stepped away to help us set up this business and work more on the financial side of things.”

“That’s so cool! Bea, you didn’t tell me you had such persuasive powers to lure doctor’s into your dark side of the medical field.”

Beatrice rolls her eyes. “It’s a shock you and Lilith don’t get along considering you’re both so dramatic.”

“Well she hasn’t really given me a chance.”

“Yeah,” Mary chimes in. “You’ll have to forgive Lily, she’s very set in her ways and that does not involve our little Beatrice here being -”

“Mary,” Beatrice warns.

Then she feels Ava’s hand find hers under the table. It’s a small gesture, but it settles her down. “That’s kind of weird though, isn’t it? I mean, considering Chanel.”

If she’s being honest, Beatrice was saving the Chanel drop for a moment when Lilith was around, just to see her reaction. But watching Mary process what Ava says and then seeing it light up in her brain is almost worth missing out on Lilith’s meltdown.

“Chanel is…?”

Ava looks to Beatrice for confirmation. She nods.

“Oh she works with me, a surgeon and currently has Bea’s watchdog on a leash.”

“Hang on,” this time, Mary’s attention is fully on Beatrice. “You mean to tell me that she calls me losing her fucking mind, going on and on about you and how this one has you wrapped around her finger,” she gestures to Ava who beams at the words. “When she’s dipping her own pen in the company ink?”

Beatrice shrugs. “You know Lilith, she is firmly of the belief that she’s ‘capable of handling it’ better than I am. Apparently, I’m not acting like myself.”

“Well,” Mary’s words linger, making Beatrice glare at her. “I mean, come on, Bea. You have to admit-”

“Okay, you know what? I’m very good at reading a room so I’m gonna go to the bathroom before I finish off my pasta and give you two a couple minutes to sort this out.” Ava gets up, still smiling as she walks by, squeezing Beatrice’s shoulder when she passes her.

It’s an innocuous gesture, but doing it right in front of Mary is most definitely some kind of message.

Once Ava is out of earshot, Mary gives Beatrice a look. “If you’re going to tell me to stop you can save your breath.”

Mary’s eyes widen a bit, then she smiles. “Not at all. Honestly? This is fucking incredible.”

“What?”

“When Lilith told me some doctor down here had you wrapped around her little finger I pictured some cougar with a stick up her ass, but this?” Mary looks back to where Ava disappeared. “I know you and I don’t do feelings and shit, it’s one of the things I love about you most - but Beatrice…you’re fucking glowing.”

The clench in her chest is sharp, sudden, and somehow feels like a flower blooming inside of her. She’s felt it the last few weeks - this spark of joy that’s come to life.

“It was not in my plan.”

Mary snorts. “No shit. Beatrice. We’re at Olive Garden for fucks sake.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

The look she gets is derisive, to say the least. “No offense, but you have a pretty…picky palate, at least from what I remember. You wouldn't touch a place like this back home.”

Traumatic war flashbacks of fried fish fill her mind. “This place is five star compared to when we went to Long John Silvers.”

She’s never seen Mary actually gawk before until now. Mouth open and eyes wide. “Long John Silvers? What the…holy shit.”

“What?”

“Nothing,” Mary shakes her head. “I do have to ask though…what is the situation with the hospital?”

Beatrice sighs. “It’s a hard sell. They're budget is in shambles. Their equipment is dated and the hospital is simply not streamlined well enough at the moment.”

“Is it fixable?”

“With proper motivation, yes. It would take a lot of work and Dr. Superion puts her staff first, which is commendable but doesn’t help the budget. I believe the hospital’s best bet would be to bring in a firm to take the project hands-on. Make the changes needed, which would include a complete reassessment of the way the hospital operates. Which…I believe would be met with resistance.”

She can see the wheels turning in Mary’s head. Mary knows all the adjusting firms in the country. She’s their evaluator and matchmaker at making sure the right people go to the right places to make things work.

Mary’s gift has always been her ability to read people and adapt to them. “And your girl?”

“Ava’s the biggest selling point of this hospital. The way we get a firm to commit to helping with the adjustments is by presenting her as the -”

“No no,” Mary waves Beatrice off. “I know all about the great Dr. Silva. What I meant was where does she fit in your future plans?”

That…is a much more loaded question.

“I’m trying not to think that far ahead at the moment.”

“Okay, but it seems like you’re getting pretty attached.”

The absurd nature of how massive that understatement is nearly makes her burst out laughing. “Ava has become very important to me.”

Ever the evaluator, Mary looks at her like she’s studying a pattern on the page of a worksheet. “More important than evaluating this hospital?”

She can't find an answer to match the question, not one that can comfortably fit in the space they have.

Then Ava returns, cautiously walking up and meeting Beatrice’s eyes, asking silently if she can return.

Seeing her, Beatrice smiles and waves her over.

Ava bounds over and sits down next to her. “I like to think you guys were just sitting here talking about dessert, because honestly I could go for some cheesecake.”

“We could split a piece,” Beatrice says, thinking she wouldn't mind a few bites.

The grin Ava gives her is enough to make Beatrice want to learn how to make cheesecake so she can surprise her with it a few times every year.

When she glances at Mary again, the look she gives Beatrice is very telling.

Like she’s already gotten an answer to the question she asked.

---------------------

“I cannot believe you,” Lilith grouses as she picks up her speed on the treadmill.

Mary, decidedly not on a treadmill because ‘fuck running’ as she always likes to say, leans against it and smiles up at Lilith. “What? You asked me to come, I’m here.”

“I asked you to come to get this one in line and get her head back in the game. Not sign off on this tryst of hers.”

Beatrice, on the treadmill next to Lilith, bites down the urge to tell her that ‘tryst’ is one of the more severe understatements of her entire life.

Instead, she just stays focused on her steps and lets Mary do her thing. “Are you really in a position to talk?”

Lilith stumbles a bit, using her hands on the side rails to keep herself from falling. “What are you talking about?” Lilith shoots a glare in Beatrice’s direction. “You told her about Chanel? I told you, we’re just having fun and we’re not affecting business!”

“Based on what Bea told me, her thing with Ava isn’t affecting business either. Beatrice gave me the rundown on everything. She has a grasp on the situation. So what gives?”

There’s no response for a good thirty seconds after Mary asks. In fact, the only sound around them is the hum of the machines and the beeping as Lilith turns her speed up.

When she does answer, she’s practically sprinting. “I never see her anymore!” She says, strained from the exertion of her movements.

The words are jarring, to say the least.

Beatrice taps her machine, slowing it down to turn and look at Lilith. “You never see me? We are roomed next door to each other.”

“Yes, and she’s always there or you’re always at her apartment! We haven’t gone out to dinner in weeks and most of the time I feel like you’re only tolerating me at work before you can slip out and go find her.”

Of all the outcomes that Beatrice thought possible when it came to finally confronting this with Lilith, the idea that Lilith just missed her was not something she ever assumed.

Stopping her treadmill, Beatrice passes a look to Mary who seems just as surprised as Beatrice is. “Lilith,” she calls and gets a middle finger in her face.

“I’m not talking about my feelings, okay? I’m only saying that you are becoming all consumed with this and we’re only going to be here a few more weeks. Then what?”

That is the million dollar question. Because Beatrice bases her life on numbers and facts and precision. Knowing what she wants and setting out to achieve it.

With Ava, she knows exactly what she wants. The problem is that what she wants will greatly alter pretty much everything in her life.

There’s also the very logical question of whether or not it’s worth it. Whether or not this is something truly real or if she’s merely lost herself in the bubble they’ve created.

She knows Ava so well now, but what does she really know about Ava’s life? She’s not spent much time with Ava’s friends or spent a full twenty-four hours with her.

What’s Ava like when she’s sick? What’s Ava like on a bad day? What does Ava think about holidays? Is she a big fan of Christmas? Does she go all out on Thanksgiving or enjoy a quiet takeout meal with a good book like Beatrice?

Somehow, she doubts that. Would Beatrice be okay with a big gathering and spending all day making food for Thanksgiving? Neither of them have families to worry about but could they really bring all their people together every year?

Could she convince Lilith to fly down here?

Would they lose touch?

Stop, she tells herself, taking a breath. Her mind is spiraling as it is apt to do from time to time, but she knows better.

She’s overthinking this, which is the exact opposite of everything she’s done with Ava since the day they met and so far that’s worked out beautifully for her.

Beatrice refocuses, finding that Lilith has stopped running and is staring at her, Mary is too.

“Ava is very important to me, Lilith. I do apologize if I have made you feel cast aside, it was not my intention. It’s only that I’ve never quite…experienced what I am experiencing right now.”

There’s a twisted and confused look that crosses Lilith’s face for just a moment before her eyes go wide and look at Mary.

Mary, who is grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“You’re in love with her?”

Hearing it like that, so bluntly thrown down at her feet, Beatrice feels a tremble run through her.

It’s not at all unpleasant.

“I am.” She says, unable to fight the smile that washes over her.

Lilith looks stricken, like she might lash out, then pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. “Well then I suppose I’d better call off my witch hunt.” She rolls her eyes and plucks a towel out of her gym bag and wipes the sweat off her face. “Not that it fucking matters, but your future wife-to-be isn’t really the problem with this hospital’s money. Vincent, their accountant, is an actual idiot who’s been fumbling their funds for years.”

She knows Lilith said more, but wife-to-be sticks in Beatrice’s head like syrup.

Her brain really needs to relax.

As if she senses it, in all her prodigal genius, Beatrice’s phone buzzes in her bag and she plucks it off the floor as Mary and Lilith keep talking.

Ava: dinner tonight? I found this really nice place on 16th street

Beatrice feels a laugh bubbling in her throat. The last ‘nice place’ Ava found was Waffle House (which was admittedly very good).

Still, she hasn’t seen Ava since they had lunch with Mary yesterday. She misses her.

Which probably answers a lot of her previous questions more than any sort of introspection ever could.

Beatrice: Alright, I’m at the gym with Mary and Lilith right now. I can meet you there if you send directions?

The answer comes quickly.

Ava: hell yes! okay i’ll shoot you the deets

When she shuts off her phone and looks up, both Mary and Lilith are staring at her.

“Oh she’s gone,” Mary says, elbowing Lilith in the side.

Lilith shakes her head, much less amused. “I knew I should have brought you with me when we got this job.”

-----------------------

By the time they finish with their workout, it’s almost five in the afternoon. Beatrice managed to shower and isn’t too sore, but the thought of driving all the way back to the hotel to change is a bit more than she wishes to take on.

She doesn't look terrible, sure she’s in her workout clothes, but the last thing she wants to do is force herself to rush and change just to end up in some kind of dive with Ava eating hot wings and watching some sports game she knows nothing about.

So she decides to just go as she is. It’s not a terrible look. She has a shirt to wear that’s halfway decent, black, with long sleeves that go well with her yoga pants. Her hair is still damp and hangs in slightly curled waves down her shoulders.

The directions lead her a bit deeper out of the city than she’s been, but her GPS keeps her on the path and she can't deny that the neighborhood she enters is a little nicer than downtown.

Only when she makes the last turn to the restaurant does Beatrice start to get a little worried. The parking lot isn’t overly crowded, yet there’s a line at the door. A man is standing near the front door with a nice looking blazer on and a sign next to him offering valet parking.

The building itself is lit beautifully and the signage outside is subtle - hardly giving anything away about the restaurant.

A tactic often used in New York to keep hot spots hidden from the masses.

Beatrice opts against the valet and parks near the back.

She opens her door and steps out, the cool night air hitting her wet hair as she does.

Her feet carry her slowly to the door, looking around desperately for Ava.

Before she reaches the door, Beatrice pulls out her phone.

Beatrice: Ava, I’m here. Are you inside?

She waits near a row of perfectly trimmed bushes and watches her phone.

About a minute passes with no response and she’s about to send another message when she hears footsteps clicking on the sidewalk next to her. “Bea!” Ava calls her name, a smile in her voice as she does.

When Beatrice looks up, the whole world slows down.

Ava is wearing a beautiful red dress. Low cut in the front, slit up the leg just above her knee. She’s wearing shiny red lipstick along with a hint of mascara that makes her eyes stand out even more than they already do.

She’s stunning, with her hair tied back up in a slightly messy bun that puts her gorgeous neck on display - all the way down to her…

“Hey, uh…Bea?”

Beatrice blinks, she’s been staring for at least a minute. “Sorry, I’m sorry. You…Ava, look at you.”

“Thanks Bea,” Ava laughs, swishing a bit from side to side. “Did you uh…did I not tell you where we were going?”

“You said it was somewhere nice!”

Ava looks around. “Yeah! It’s cool if you don't want to dress up, I only did because I bought this forever ago for a fundraiser and wanted a more exciting reason to wear it.”

“Ava,” Beatrice hisses. “You didn’t tell me it was this upscale. I’m wearing yoga pants!”

She watches Ava’s eyes roam down her body and then back up. “You wear them well.”

“Ava!”

“Hey I told you it was nice!”

“You told me TGI Fridays was nice!”

She watches Ava open her mouth to protest, then snap it shut and purse her lips. “Okay fair, I guess I should have mentioned that I had to get a reservation.”

Beatrice sighs, all the frustration melting out of her in an instant. “You made us reservations?”

“Of course! You mentioned how you haven’t had a good steak in a long time so I looked up the best steak in the city and it led me here. It’s no big deal though, if you want to go we can.”

Thoughtful. Always listening, always taking little mental notes and picking them out at the best times to try and make Beatrice’s day better. Ava’s been doing that for her a lot more lately.

When Beatrice mentioned off-handedly a few days ago that she liked soft chocolate chip cookies, Ava found a bakery that made them and got her a half dozen - the big ones with melty chocolate.

At one point Beatrice complained about her travel toothbrush needing to be replaced and the next night she stayed at Ava’s place there was a new attachable head for Ava’s fancy electric brush sitting there waiting for her.

Even now, standing out here in her workout clothes as Ava wears the absolute hell out of a dress that no doubt cost a small fortune, she’s ready and willing to walk away from a reservation to a top tier restaurant just for her.

Instead of feeling embarrassed or frustrated by the lack of communication, all Beatrice can think is how much fun it will be to tell this story to her friends.

“How good of a steak are we talking about?”

Ava grins. “I mean the reviews were stellar. One person called it orgasmic, I thought it was funny because the website tried to censor it but you could totally tell that’s what they meant.”

“Hmm,” Beatrice runs her hands through her hair, shaking it a little. “Do you think they’ll let me in?”

“Of course, you’re hot as hell, plus with me on your arm? Who’s going to turn us away?”

-----------------------

They were almost turned away.

The maitre-d wanted to send them packing. He took one look at Beatrice with her tight shirt and workout pants, hair a bouncy wet mess atop her head and scoffed.

He told her she didn't fit the proper attire code to come inside and offered them the chance to make a new reservation in three weeks.

Then Ava did that thing of hers where she manages to convince someone that they’ve seen her side of things all along somehow they managed to make a deal where Beatrice borrowed a very nice coat from the lost and now belongs to the restaurant box and put it on.

As they make their way to their seats, Ava convinces a busser who is cleaning another table to let her borrow one of the hair ties on her wrist and gives it to Beatrice.

So by the time they make it to their seat, Beatrice has on a very expensive jacket that sits a little loose on her and her hair is in a very messy ponytail to match.

“You look a little bit like Antonio Banderas. “I mean way hotter and your ass is nicer, but the slick back hair and nice jawline…I can see it.” Ava says as they sit, Beatrice still can't really get over how different she looks.

It’s a good different - an incredibly gorgeous side of Dr. Ava Silva that she’s never even considered before. The same girl who says that puff Cheetos are better because they have ‘better cheese dust’ can also look like she’s stepped right off a red carpet.

“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about that.”

Ava laughs. “It’s mostly the hair, I think. Did you come straight from the gym?”

“Yes, I showered after my workout and left. I just assumed you’d be taking me to another WingStop or some kind of arcade that serves nachos.”

She has a front row seat to watch Ava’s eyes light up. “Oh my god, we should totally go to an arcade!”

Beatrice frowns. “Ava, I’ve never played an arcade game in my life.”

“All the more reason to go!” Ava is practically bouncing now, which looks even funnier when she’s dressed like a Hollywood icon.

There’s not even a reason to discuss it, if Ava wants to take her to an arcade, Beatrice will go. Why wouldn't she? Every experience so far has been fun, even the terrible ones end up as good memories.

They order their drinks and then their food, Ava sipping on a glass of wine as Beatrice orders a good scotch.

“So how was your day with Mary? I kind of adore her.”

Beatrice grins, setting her drink down as she again adjusts the oversized coat on her shoulders. “It was lovely, we managed to drag Lilith along with us as well. Went shopping and had lunch on Blake Street near the stadium like you suggested.”

“Awesome views, right? It’s so pretty at Christmas time too.”

Ava's voice changes a little as she says it, softens. It’s minute, almost unnoticeable, but Beatrice is finely tuned to everything about her at this point. “I’d love to see it.”

She doesn’t really mean it as anything more than that, she would love to see it - but the intent behind it is clear as day.

“Christmas is a long time from now,” Ava says, her fingers fiddling with her napkin. “Do you think you’d be able to find a break in your schedule to come visit?”

Years from now, when Beatrice is inevitably asked when she made her decision to upend her very content and well lived life and completely flip it on its head, this is the moment she would tell them about.

Reaching across the table, Beatrice takes Ava’s hand and brushes her thumb over her knuckles. “Ava, if I have it my way, I will most definitely be here come December.”

The way Ava smiles, the way she seems to relax the tension in her shoulders and flips her hand over to link their fingers together tells Beatrice that her rush of feelings is not one-sided.

They're not going to drop a big love confession in a fancy restaurant surrounded by strangers while Beatrice, apparently, looks like Antonio Banderas - but the decision has already been made.

Chapter Text

Beatrice has always been very good at mentally preparing herself for any situation.

Anxiety and nervousness over confrontation is rare for her.

Only a few ever really stand out. Coming out to her parents is at the top of the list - somehow the biggest mistake and best decision she ever made at the exact same time.

When she quit her job at the massive firm that hired her out of university to start her own with a few of her closest friends, that was scary. That was the first time she actually threw up the night before because her anxiety was so powerful.

Since then, nothing has really made her nervous.

Until today, because today is the next monumental decision of her life.

She made up her mind two weeks ago and has spent those two weeks confirming it again and again.

For a few days last week, Beatrice got sick. It’s not entirely surprising - she spends every day in a hospital, she is always on the go, she hasn’t been eating as well as she used to.

When it started, she tried to just power through - that’s always been her default setting. Beatrice doesn’t like being unproductive. She’s never been good at sitting still and taking it easy.

Taking it easy is the life her parents lived - the way they approached everything. Lazy, filtered, the quickest route to the best possible outcome. They had the money to do it and the lack of empathy to not care who they stepped on.

Beatrice has dedicated herself to being the exact opposite of that.

Still, the sickness was too much for her and at one point on a very long day, she collapsed and while it wasn't nearly as dramatic as it seemed - it did give her a front row seat to Dr. Ava Silva.

Ava was the first person she saw when she woke up, suddenly in a hospital bed and stuck with an IV.

She watched Ava for a moment before Ava realized she was alert. She watched Ava fuss with the IV bag and jot a few things down on the chart. She closed her eyes and listened when a nurse came in and told her they had an ambulance coming.

“Okay, I…is Camila around?”

“Sorry, head lac. I can see if -”

“No, no, I’ll be there.” There was so much softness in her voice. Beatrice couldn’t keep her eyes closed. “It’s just a head cold, temp is 101 but hasn’t gone up since we admitted her. Chest is clear and she seems to be getting some color back with fluids.” Ava sighed and Beatrice could see her wrapping her hands around the stethoscope again and again, like a stress ball. “It was just scary watching -” Ava’s sentence died when she looked back and saw Beatrice looking at her with a small smile. “Bea! Holy shit, hi!” Ava took three long steps towards Beatrice then and immediately put a hand on her forehead. “I’m so mad at you.” She said with a beaming smile.

“I know, I’m ready to meet cranky Ava.”

It was hard to take Ava seriously when she was holding her hand and running a hand over her forehead again and again. “You scared me.”

Beatrice felt the guilt hit her then. She was so used to being on her own - only mattering to herself. The consequences of her decision never affected other people.

She realized then that if she was going to fully commit to Ava, it wasn't just about adjusting to her, it was about adjusting herself to Ava.

That was a week ago, she’s mostly fine now - a lingering cough that’s fading with each day. Ava’s given her a full bill of health to return to work and finalize everything tomorrow.

Which seems easy compared to this.

She knocks on Ava’s door three times and can't help but wonder if it’s the last time she ever will - for better or worse.

When it opens, she’s met with the sight of Ava first thing in the morning. It’s something she’s grown accustomed to seeing from the other side of the door.

“Hey!” Ava smiles and without another word, she and Beatrice step into each other for a hug. “I didn’t expect to see you until this afternoon.”

“I know,” they pull apart but Ava leans in and kisses her on the cheek. Beatrice feels the gesture boost her confidence. “I was…hoping to talk to you.”

When Ava leans back, she nods. “Okay, that tone sounds kind of serious though, I’m not in trouble am I? Vincent fucked the budget up more than I did.”

Beatrice smiles. “No, you’re not in trouble.” Stepping into Ava’s apartment, Beatrice shuts the door behind her and hesitates before taking off her shoes.

Normally, mornings off are rest time for Ava. She loves to enjoy her mornings on the couch with a cup of coffee and Charmed reruns on television. The episodes aired are always random, Beatrice has seen a dozen of them and has no idea what the plot of that show is.

Today though, she hesitates, because the repressed voice in her head she’s long since quieted is a little bit louder today and telling her this is going to blow up in her face.

Fortunately, it’s not nearly powerful enough to match Ava. “Do you want some tea?” Ava asks.

Ava, who didn’t have tea in her apartment two months ago now has four different brands and a kettle and a mug with a honey bee on it that she bought specifically for Beatrice.

“Maybe after,” she says and steps over to the couch. Ava nods and follows her, sitting down with her eyes on Beatrice the whole time.

Beatrice sits next to her and takes a deep breath. She’s never been one to beat around the bush. “My job here will be coming to an end tomorrow, it will only take us a few days after that to sort out everything before we leave.”

For as much as Ava wears her heart on her sleeve in literally every situation Beatrice has been around her for - she is surprisingly hard to read right now.

She swallows once, then nods. “Okay, so this is…a bad talk?”

“No,” Beatrice answers quickly, taking Ava’s hand to try and stop the thought in its tracks. “I mean…perhaps, it could be - but not on my end.”

Ava frowns. “I don’t follow.”

She’s beating around the bush. Beatrice hates being nervous. “I don’t want to leave, Ava. I…I want to stay here with you.”

“Oh,” Ava’s eyes go wide. “You…you do?”

Beatrice nods. “I do. I don’t know about you, but this thing we have right now is not something I have ever experienced. You’re the first person I’ve ever met in my life that I was instantly comfortable with. From the first night we spent together in that bar to this moment right here, you’ve made my life better. You make me feel a kind of happiness I didn’t even know I was living without. I don’t want to be away from that, I want to embrace it. I love you. I’m in love with you and I wish to be with you.”

As far as speeches go, Beatrice thinks that’s one of her better ones. It’s also the first love confession she’s ever made.

The response she gets at first is silence, just Ava staring at her with those same wide, deep brown eyes.

Her voice is a little watery when she speaks. “You want to live with me?”

Beatrice frowns. “I don’t have to, I just meant live in the city and -”

“Please,” Ava grabs her hand with both of her own and squeezes. “Will you please live with me?”

“Really?”

Ava’s smile splits wide open as her teary eyes spill over. “I miss the fuck out of you when you’re not here, Bea. All that stuff you just said, I get it. Like I heard you say it and it sank down deep in my soul, you know? Like my life here is good. I love my job, I love my friends and my apartment is so fucking cool - but all of it is so much better since you showed up. My favorite foods taste better, my favorite shows are more fun. Going to bed, even if we don’t have sex, it’s different. Sometimes I wake up at night and roll over and you’re there and I get all giddy and have to put my pillow over my face to stop myself from squealing. I just…shit, Bea. I love you so much. I’m in, if you want to go all in then fuck yeah, I am all in with you.”

Loving Ava has always felt amazing, it’s the best feeling in the world - or it used to be.

Because being loved by her mends something deeply broken in her heart from another life.

She surges forward, pressing her lips into Ava’s who giggles at the contact before her hands snake around Beatrice’s back and draw her in.

As the kiss deepens, Beatrice kicks off her shoes and lets them fall to the floor.

She’s home.

--------------------

The next day is the next serious conversation Beatrice has to have - the first of two today.

This one isn’t as scary as yesterday, if only because she has Ava in her corner now. The decision has been made, they spent the rest of the day planning Beatrice’s move and deciding where all of her stuff would go.

Ava has so many plans already. She wants to show Beatrice the city. She wants to have Beatrice come to a barbeque at Camila’s and go skiing with Chanel.

She wants to buy a cat together.

Beatrice is ready to do it all.

This conversation though is a bit sadder, but just as important.

Mary and Lilith are in Lilith’s hotel room when she finds them. They're hunched over their laptops at the table in the corner of the room near the window. Papers are scattered neatly around them, Mary even has her glasses on - which always means business.

She thinks for a second about letting them work - she spent the night last night pouring over everything - she knows what they're doing tomorrow and knows the presentation.

Still, she wants to get all of this out in the open as quickly as she can. “How’s it going?” She asks, sitting on the foot of the bed as Mary looks at her.

“Got a pretty good grip on it all. Safe to assume you sorted all this shit out last night?”

“I did.”

“Ava gave you free time to work?” Lilith says, not nearly as snipey as it used to be, but she will forever be a little bit tense.

Beatrice smiles nonetheless. “Ava worked a swing shift yesterday. She was out until ten.”

That gets Lilith’s attention. “So you just…hung out in Ava’s apartment alone? I didn’t hear you come back here last night.”

Hearing it called ‘Ava’s apartment’ is a bit jarring, if only because Ava spent their whole day together after the confession calling it ‘our apartment’. Like she was making a very joyous point.

That seems as good of a place to start as any. “Actually, it’s my apartment as well.”

For some reason, watching Mary take her reading glasses off makes it all feel very real. “Your apartment?”

“Do you still have the number of the realtor who helped you and Shannon sell your old place? I may need to call him.”

Lilith’s jaw cracks open, then snaps shut. “Hang on, are you…what are you talking about?”

Here goes nothing. “After we present our findings today, I plan to step down from our company…to stay here.”

The ‘with Ava’ goes unspoken. It’s unnecessary.

They already know.

“Step down? Beatrice you run the company! You can't just -”

“Lilith, we started it together. Both of us. I’m only CEO because I had a slight amount of extra money to put forward. That doesn’t mean I worked harder than you or -”

“I don’t give a fuck about that!” Lilith stands up, always so dramatic. Beatrice loves that about her. “You’re just going to…stay here? You’re going to give up your whole life for this girl? I know you’re in deep, but Beatrice isn’t this a bit fast?”

It is, all conventional wisdom, which has long been the cornerstone of her life, tells her this is much too fast.

Yet, when she thinks about leaving it makes her physically ill. The life she used to live, the one she genuinely enjoyed and built all on her own, feels desolate at the thought of not seeing Ava every day.

Lilith can argue if she wants, but for Beatrice, there’s no argument to be had. “It’s a decision I’ve already made. Ava’s invited me to stay with her. She has some time off coming and we’re going to travel to New York and pack up my things. She…” Beatrice sighs. “She wants to drive a UHaul cross country to bring my stuff here. It’s apparently some kind of joke, I didn’t fully understand.”

“Fucking shit,” Mary snorts, covering her face before she laughs. “I mean don’t get me wrong, Bea. This is wild - but I really like your girl.”

Her girl. It makes her swoon.

God, Ava’s made her someone who swoons.

“So that’s it? You’re just walking away? Moving out of New York? Beatrice, are you sure?” Lilith’s voice changes timber, softens. It’s not a tone Beatrice has heard from her often.

For as much as they bicker and bristle one another, there’s a reason they were able to start a business together.

Beatrice loves Lilith, she loves her protectiveness and her stubbornness. She loves her courage and how she really does care about people - in her own way.

“I am, I know it might feel sudden but I can't let this chance slip through my fingers. I’ve never felt this way about someone before and I need to see it through.” Lilith takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly as her eyes close. “Now you’ll have even more reason to come back to Colorado.”

Lilith’s eyes snap open. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course.”

“Yeah that’s why Beatrice sent me a photo of you and the surgeon sitting on one cushion of a three seat couch in the hotel lobby the other night?” Mary chimes in because Mary is physically incapable of not chiming in.

Whatever softness Lilith carried a moment ago is gone, she glowers at Beatrice who can only shrug. “I’m sorry, I needed ammunition.”

“You’re going to need a lot more than that.”

Mary stands up. “Alright, relax,” she laughs. “Bea, Lilith is kind of right - this is a huge decision. Are you absolutely sure you’ve thought it all the way through?”

She’s only slightly insulted. “Mary, you know me, I never go into anything without thinking through every possible angle.”

“I know, but love can be blinding, it can make even the smartest of us fucking stupid.”

Lilith coughs loudly. “Tiffany!”

Watching Mary’s slow stare turn on Lilith is equally scary and hilarious. “If you don’t stop bringing Tiffany Watts into every conversation you’re trying to win I’m gonna step aside and let Beatrice kick your ass.”

“I’d love to see her try.” Lilith puffs up and Beatrice smiles.

“I’m in love with her,” Beatrice says, wondering if saying it out loud will ever get old. “I know it’s a lot and I’m certain it feels a bit out of character for me, but it’s the choice I’ve made and I really do hope you can both understand that and…” Beatrice feels the strangest wave of fear split through her. She really doesn’t want to lose her friends. “I hope you’ll come visit me here as often as possible.”

When Mary rolls her eyes and smiles, Beatrice’s tension eases. Then Mary steps over to her and hugs her. “You were supposed to be the sane one!”

Beatrice laughs and wraps her arms around Mary’s back. She looks over her shoulder, where Lilith is still sitting at the desk and watching her.

She gives her a warm smile that only grows when she sees Lilith roll her eyes and fight to keep the corners of her mouth turned down.

“Lily, get over here and join this hug or we’re bringing it to you.”

Lilith lets out the most dramatic groan possible before standing up and wrapping her arms around them both

Beatrice’s second big talk with her family in this life went a lot better than the first.

----------------------

When the proposal is finished, Beatrice stands up and puts her hands behind her back. The end of a job is always a bit of a rush - no matter the outcome. It’s an ending, most of the time.

This one though, feels different. It’s much more of a beginning.

“Thank you for your work,” Dr. Superon says, standing up with a hand outstretched. Beatrice watches Lilith step in and shake it.

Lilith was the one to do the presentation, which is not usually her job - but Beatrice thought it was good for her to get her first one there - where both of them are rather comfortable.

“You run a good hospital here,” Lilith says, sounding genuine. “It’s a shame the system in place frowns upon your methods, because in my opinion it's the way it should be.”

Superion grins a bit, nodding as the handshake ends. “As long as I’m here, I’ll do my best to keep it that way - no matter what the adjustment firm suggests.”

That was the decided outcome. The hospital will hire a firm to come in and implement the necessary changes to keep the hospital afloat.

A huge albatross on their neck was removed when Lilith’s digging into Ava actually led her to Vincent, the accountant, who had been embezzling money for years to some pharmaceutical head, Adriel, that had been stuffing his pockets.

So with him out, at least the budget has a chance, but there’s still work to be done.

All Beatrice can think is how she’ll be here to see it through, in some way. Even that only means being there to welcome Ava home after a shift and listen to her vent.

“Beatrice,” Superion calls her over. “I hear you’re not going to be leaving us like your colleagues.”

“I’ve decided to stay, yes.”

Superion’s stare lingers on her. “Hmm, well Dr. Silva has certainly taken it upon herself to fill me in on all of the great qualities you possess. She’s even mentioned how you might be an asset in helping with the coming changes to this hospital.”

That…is not what she expects. “Oh she…she has?”

“Yes, and she makes a good point. You have worked with these firms, have you not?”

Beatrice nods. “Yes, for years.”

“And I assume you do not currently have any employment in the city?”

“Not yet, I’m in the very early stages of this change.”

Lilith makes some kind of disgruntled noise behind her but Beatrice resists the urge to glare at her. Staying focused on Superion and this opportunity that may or may not be coming her way.

She still can't tell.

“We have a new job opening in finances, with the added workload and benefits to match as a transitional liaison to the adjustments firm we will hire. Helping to guide our hospital through the coming changes and protecting our practice.” Superion holds out her hand. “It’s yours, if you want it.”

Beatrice can't decide if this is actually happening or not. The chance to work here feels too perfect. It’s very similar to the job she has now, but with less travel and certainly more work.

The pay sounds good, if she’s learned anything these last few months it’s that Dr. Superion takes care of her people.

Most importantly, she’d be able to work with Ava. Not so direct that they’d be stepping on each other's toes all the time, but enough that they could ride to work together some days. Meet up for lunch some days.

If something happened and Ava needed a break, she could slip into Beatrice’s office and rest.

If something came up and Beatrice needed some stress relief, she could slip into Ava’s office and slip off her underwear and…

And she really needs to focus.

It’s been at least twenty seconds of silence on her end. Which is ten seconds too long. “I’ll take it.” She returns the shake with a smile

Superion matches it. “Excellent, we’ll sort out the paperwork tomorrow. For now, I have some calls to make to the board. Thank you both for everything.”

As she and Lilith take their leave, is shaking her head all the way to the elevator “You’ve just stumbled into a whole new life here, haven’t you?”

“So it seems,” Beatrice is very good at keeping a calm demeanor, even when she’s bursting inside.

That’s the case right now, and when the elevator lands on the emergency room floor, Lilith gives her a look. “You’re not going to ditch me for our post job celebration lunch, are you?”

“No, of course not. Can you just…give me a minute to see if she’s busy. I’d…” Beatrice sighs, she detests being needy, but she is right now. “I’d just like to see her first.”

“You’re so whipped, Beatrice. Jesus Christ.”

“Why don’t you run upstairs and tell Chanel the good news.”

Lilith scoffs. “I talked to Chanel this morning, she has wall to wall surgeries all morning and unlike you, I can keep it in my pants for a full shift. I’ll be in the car.” With that, she walks away and leaves Beatrice to wander to the front desk of the emergency room.

The first person she recognizes is JC, hunched over a laptop with a long cord attached to a tablet. No doubt filing Ava’s charts.

“Is Dr. Silva busy?” She asks, not feeling entirely subtle.

Thankfully, JC hardly looks up. “Chest pain in two,” he points, still not looking and Beatrice realizes he thinks she’s just another doctor.

She’s not about to correct him, it gave her the information she wanted.

While she’s not about to interrupt Ava at work, she is not above slipping in just close enough to watch her

When she reaches curtain room two, Beatrice lingers near an empty gurney and watches her.

Dr. Silva, in her element, is untouchable. She’s so attentive and personable, sitting down on a stool, face to face with a middle aged man who seems coiled with tension like a snake. His eyes are scared and Ava is talking to him with her most patient voice.

“I promise, you’re not wrong for being cautious. We’ll get you a full workup, chest pain is nothing to ignore, in fact I’d be more worried if you had. You should never ignore it, even if it’s minor.”

The man nods. “It’s not unbearable, it’s just…heart disease runs in my family and my daughter is coming home for the first time in two years - we have so much planned to catch up and I need to be healthy so we can do it all.”

Ava’s smile is beaming, nearly impossible to not be taken in by. “Then that’s what we’ll do, and that starts with covering all our bases. So we’ll get you started today - get you admitted, nothing serious, but I say we take the whole day, sort all of this out and get you ready for your daughter.”

“You’re right, okay…we…we should be sure.”

“Awesome,” Ava stands up, tapping a few things into a tablet. “Okay, so I’ll step out and find a nurse while you change into a gown. Once you do just make yourself as comfortable as you can - we have the nicest gurneys in the state”

That’s a lie, every hospital in Colorado gets their gurney’s from the same distributor.

When Ava steps out of the curtain, she doesn't seem to notice Beatrice - it’s not surprising because she’s in doctor mode and is already seeking out a nurse.

Beatrice doesn’t mind a bit, smiling as she watches Ava explain everything to said nurse.

She decides that she’s probably going to have to leave without talking to Ava because Lilith’s patience is no doubt fading by the second. So as she turns to leave with a promise to text Ava in the car - she is suddenly face to face with curly hair and a lab coat.

“Hi!” Camila says, her smile as beaming as Beatrice remembers it.

“Hello, Camila, it’s good to see you.”

Camila hums. “You too, now I’m going to cut to the chase - Ava’s basically been talking to me about you since the day you arrived here.” This is not what Beatrice expected, at all. “She’s been one of my best friends for years and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her as happy as she is right now and I know that has everything to do with you. So, as her friend I like to take it upon myself to play protective parent because a lot of people who should have been that for her, haven’t been as I’m sure you know.”

She does, the stories of Ava’s past are still being unraveled but Beatrice knows her childhood was filled with pain and heartache. They both have long scarred over wounds they carry - late nights before bed have been spent sharing those memories.

Despite the fact that both of them have healed from it, having someone to be completely open with, someone who can relate to that loneliness - it’s been cathartic.

“I do, and I have no intentions -”

“Ah!” Camila puts a hand up, effectively cutting her off. “I’m not here to big sister you or try and scare you, Ava’s a big girl and the smartest person I know, so you’re fine. But, if you’re going to be a big part of her life, then I’m going to be a part of yours. So we’re going to have brunch on Saturday!” She beams as she says it, like Beatrice came up with the idea and shared it with her.

It’s the kind of invitation you cannot say no to. “Alright, that sounds lovely.”

“Great! Ava’s working a shift Saturday morning so I’ll swing by her place and pick you up!”

Beatrice nods. “Sure, I’m looking forward to it.”

Then Camila steps forward and hugs her, Beatrice stiffens a bit, then settles into it and pats her back a few times “I will kill you if you hurt her, I know like fifty different ways to do it.” She whispers, then pulls back with an even bigger smile. “So glad you’re here! See you Saturday!”

As Camila leaves, Beatrice takes it all in for a moment, suddenly with a full plate on Saturday morning.

She turns back, finds Ava now further away and already with another patient - but a few moments later, Ava’s eyes flick up to her and she grins, a little wave that Beatrice returns before Ava goes back to work.

Beatrice is suddenly looking forward to brunch.

-------------------------

That old saying of not being good at goodbyes has never really applied to Beatrice.

Goodbyes have never been a large part of her life. When she left her home in London there were no goodbyes, no hugs and promises to stay in touch. Nothing of the sort.

No, goodbyes back then were with her life, her favorite spot in her bedroom and the tree she used to sit under and read out back.

As her life started to build on her own, Beatrice kept enough distance between herself and everyone else that exiting someone’s life didn’t mean anything.

Then Lilith came along and they kept being paired off and grew close and things shifted then. Lilith became the first mainstay in her life in years - and eventually she added Mary and Shannon by extension.

Before she knew it, Beatrice had people - friends.

A makeshift family that looked out for her and that she found herself doing the same for.

So when the day comes that she’s staying behind and they're going back home, to their home - she’s surprisingly unprepared.

She’s been on the verge of crying all morning.

Beatrice drove them to the airport, so out of place without a bag of her own. No seat on the plane waiting for her, she won’t see her apartment again for another two weeks and when she does, it’ll be with Ava at her side.

Her life in New York was very good, it brought her a lot of joy and gave her these people. She’s going to miss it dearly, but after this she’s going back to the hospital to pick up Ava and go back to her new home.

It’s too many emotions, she has no idea how to process all of this.

“Are you crying?” Mary asks, eyes wide and frown deep as she looks at Beatrice.

Reaching up, Beatrice wipes her eyes and glares back at her. “Is that so bad? That I’m going to miss you?”

Mary laughs. “No, of course not, it's just…you don’t cry much.”

“She does,” Lilith says, sliding up beside Mary and shaking her head. “You just have to know how to get it out of her. Homeward Bound, when the old dog comes up over the hill and makes it back home? Gets her every time.”

“Shut up, Lilith,” Beatrice says and then she steps forward and pulls Lilith into her arms.

This is the first hug they’ve ever had quite like this. Occasionally when they’d celebrate after a case, Beatrice would have too much to drink and nuzzle her a little, which Lilith would complain about, but reciprocate. Mostly though, they don’t do these kinds of things with each other.

So when Lilith’s arms wrap around her waist and squeeze her tightly, the tears spill over even more.

“I’m fully prepared to whip her ass if you need me too.”

Beatrice laughs, sniffling as they pull apart. “I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

“Yes well,” Lilith’s eyes are red, no tears shed, but they're there and they mean the world to Beatrice. “She does seem to be wrapped around your little finger.” Lilith sighs, her smile lingering. “I’ll take care of our company.”

Beatrice nods. “I know you will.”

“Alright, Jesus,” Mary steps in and hugs Beatrice. “You two are supposed to be the surly stoic ones.” Beatrice laughs and sees Lilith blush and rub her eyes as she turns away.

Hugging Mary is different. Mary hugs with her whole soul - lifting Beatrice off the ground a little and holding her so tight. “You’re going to do great here, Bea. You already are.”

More tears, Beatrice is not used to this, at all. “Thank you. Please promise you’ll visit?”

“Are you kidding? Shannon’s already planning a ski trip in the fall. She’s going to call you tonight, by the way.”

“Great,” Beatrice says, she’ll be so glad to talk to Shannon about all this.

The loudspeaker calls out their flight after that and it’s time to go.

Beatrice again feels that strange feeling, where she feels like she’s supposed to follow them. Then her phone dings as Mary and Lillith are gathering their things.

She checks it and sees a text from Ava.

Ava: thank god it’s friday right?

Beatrice: It’s Wednesday, Ava

Ava: i know :) that was my subtle way of asking you to dinner tonight

Ava: it’s a secret coded message bea

Ava: TGIF

Ava: like the restaurant

Of course it is. This life with Ava will never be boring.

She waits to respond, saying one last goodbye to her friends, her family, before they head to the gate and board the plane.

When they're out of sight, headed back to New York, Beatrice feels a rush of loneliness that catches her by surprise for only a split second.

She holds onto it, processes it and then squeezes the phone in her hand.

She’s not alone, she’s less alone than she’s ever been in her life.

Beatrice: Let’s order it online and pick it up on our way home? We can wear our pajamas and watch a movie.

Ava: oh hell yes!! I know exactly what we can watch! one of those streaming services has all three of the classic 90s ninja turtle movies! they’re so good with bad costumes and cowabungas it’s amazing bea

She has no idea what Ava is even talking about, but her excitement is enough to make her look forward to it.

Beatrice: TGIFriyay

As Beatrice makes her way back to the rental car, her phone goes off when she climbs in.

Ava: i love you so fucking much

Yes, she’s going to be just fine.

----------------------

The painting above their toilet is crooked. Beatrice has never noticed it before, maybe because she’s never been in this position before. With her back pressed against the sink, elbows leaning on the marble countertop to keep herself upright.

She’s never had her legs spread open with Ava kneeling between them either.

Not until today, she just hopes the orgasm that’s building up doesn’t wipe her memory clean so she can remember to come in here later and fix this picture.

It wasn't their intention, all of their friends are here, out in the living room laughing and learning each other. Two groups of friends brought together by the madness of the way Ava and Beatrice fell in love.

Beatrice came in here to clean up when she spilled a bit of pizza sauce on her pants. It wasn't as easy as she thought so she ended up taking them off and rinsing them under the sink. She was going to change, just throw these in the wash and worry about them later.

Then Ava came in to check on her and saw Beatrice in her underwear.

The next thing Beatrice knew, Ava was kissing her, her hands were slipping beneath said underwear and grabbing her butt.

Now that same pair of underwear is tangled around her ankles, her shirt is hiked up and the bathroom door is locked.

Beatrice moans, desperately trying to keep quiet when Ava swirls her tongue around her clit just right.

She’s so good at this, she knows every inch of Beatrice and how to manipulate it just right.

This happens quite a lot really, especially around the apartment, but also at work from time to time.

Camila says they're currently, quote, neck deep in the honeymoon phase - but Beatrice can't help but think this feeling is never going to go away.

She spent too much time alone, never imagining herself having this kind of emotional connection with someone. The thought of not wanting to press into her at every moment she gets seems insane.

Especially when it feels so good.

“Ava,” she says, needing to say something just to breathe.

Ava hums against her, creating a vibrating sensation that thrums through her skin. Looking down, she can see Ava staring up at her, dark eyes focused as her lips are wrapped around Beatrice’s clit and lapping it with her tongue in steady, trained strokes.

Beatrice reaches down, fisting a hand in Ava’s hair and then loosening her grip. She can't keep her hips steady and they start to roll, pressing herself down into Ava’s warm mouth, seeking that last bit of pressure to drive her over the edge.

When her breaths start to become a little more ragged, Beatrice knows it’s coming - literally.

She clenches her teeth, feeling her chest tighten as her legs shake. Ava’s hands are there, holding her upright. As she tips over the edge of the cliff, Ava reaches up with both hands and wraps them around her waist.

It’s just enough to stop her from toppling over when she forgets her legs are tied together by her underwear.

As the aftershocks hit her, she lays back, head pressing into the mirror as the faucet of the sink digs into her back.

Opening her eyes, she sees Ava rising up to her feet, a glisten on her lips and a smile on her face.

“My…” Beatrice is still a little breathless. “My pants are still dirty.”

“Funny, my panties are kinda messy now too.”

Beatrice sighs, the words stirring her up again. “Ava, we have people over.”

The grin that shoots back at her is devilish. “I know, babe. Just something to think about.” Ava leans in and kisses her, letting Beatrice taste herself on her tongue. It only adds to the pressure in her lower belly.

If they were alone, this would only be round one. But there are people here and even though Beatrice came embarrassingly fast, they’ve already been gone too long for everyone not to notice.

“Wash your face, I’ll go get a new pair of pants and change.”

Ava nods, her smile leaving as she kisses Beatrice again. “You got it, make sure no one eats the last twiced baked potato! I didn’t spend all week learning how to make them to not get at least two.”

Beatrice can't contain her laughter as she agrees before slipping out and darting across the hall and into their bedroom.

It still surprises her how fast she’s adapted to the idea of this being her home. It’s only been two months and she’s still learning about everything. How the toilet in the guest bathroom doesn’t always flush properly. How the hallway gets colder at night than the rest of the house because of how the air passes through it.

How absolutely magical it is to wake up early and sit on the couch next to Ava and watch the sunrise- only for Ava to doze off again on her shoulder.

Being here has only shown Beatrice that she never knew what a home really was until now - until she had one.

By the time she finds a new pair of pants (and changes her underwear because they were a lost cause as soon as Ava started touching her), Beatrice uses a tissue to clean off Ava’s kisses from her face before slipping out into the hall.

When she makes her way back into the living room, everyone is still chatting away.

Camila and Mary are in the kitchen, sharing war stories of concerts they’ve been to, already planning to take in a few shows in the city when Mary comes back with Shannon for their ski trip.

Speaking of Shannon, she’s currently embarrassing the hell out of Lilith with stories about their time together on a bar crawl after Lilith graduated. Much to the absolute delight of Chanel, who is sitting on the back of the couch with her arm wrapped around Lilith’s shoulder.

Of all the changes that have happened since they came here, Lilith might take the cake. Sure, Beatrice fell in love, quit her job and moved halfway across the country - but Lilith finding someone who brings this kind of affection and patience out of her is nothing short of a miracle.

Beatrice takes a breath, soaking it all in - this life well lived has somehow only gotten better.

Then there is suddenly a pair of arms snaking around her waist. “Huh, I guess they didn’t notice we were gone long after all.”

“So it would seem,” Beatrice leans back into Ava’s embrace. “Perhaps we should -”

“Hey!” Ava’s voice is loud in her ear and suddenly she’s pulled away from Beatrice and racing into the kitchen. “Mary, I love you, but that potato has my name on it.”

Mary, who Beatrice knows won’t fold so easily, picks up said potato and looks at every side of it. “Funny, I don’t see your name anywhere, babygirl.”

“Mary…I made those with my bare hands. Hands, mind you, that have saved lives.”

“Oh here we go,” comes from Camila, and suddenly everyone is gravitating towards the kitchen.

Beatrice slips in behind Ava, leaning against the fridge to watch.

“Well I personally think that you should be thrilled I want another one. It means you were a good host.” Mary says.

“As a good host, I feel like I’ve earned a second potato.”

“Perhaps you should have made more if you were going to eat so much,” Lilith says, Beatrice resists the laugh in her throat when Ava snaps a glare at her.

“One day you’ll be on my side, cerberus!”

Lilith hums. “One day, not today though.”

“I got you, Ava!” Chanel says and Beatrice sees Ava wink at her.

“Alright,” Beatrice says, stepping forward and plucking the potato out of Mary’s hand.

“Oh come on, you can't just give in to her because she gets you off, Bea. We’ve been friends since-”

She ends the conversation by taking a massive bite out of the potato, right down the middle. Her cheeks fill with fluffy, mashed potato goodness and gooey cheese as gasps fill the air around her.

The loudest coming from Ava. “Wow, Bea. Betrayed by my own girlfriend.”

With a puffy cheeked smile, Beatrice tears the potato in half at the point she bit into and holds out each end to the both of them.

Ava greedily takes her piece as Mary winces. “Lilith is right, she’s ruined you.” She takes her half of the potato and goes over to Shannon to pout.

When Beatrice turns to look at Ava, she’s got just as much potato in her mouth as Beatrice had. “Wuv yu.” She mumbles and Beatrice tries not to laugh as she swallows down the last of her bite.

“What am I going to do with you?” She asks, with all the affection in the world.

Ava wiggles in her spot, taking another bite before offering Beatrice the last piece.

She’s so glad she walked into that western themed bar five months ago.