Disclaimer: I don't own Chicago Med or its characters…

Author's Note: Help me! Sarah Reese and Jeff Clarke won't leave me alone. They insisted on more. But I can't devote all my writing time to them, so updates will likely only be weekly. I want to say you don't have to have read my other fic Savior Complex, but it does tell the origin story for how Clarke/Reese pairing came to be in my AU.

WARNING: Some references to mature subject matter. Nothing explicit (I don't think)... yet.

Enjoy?

Forget a cup of coffee. Morning Sex was the best way to the start the day, Sarah Reese decided, as she lay in a blissful, boneless, panting heap on Jeff Clarke's bed. She yelped as strong hands flipped her over onto her back and his tall, leanly muscled body covered hers, sweaty and hot and sated perfection. He began kissing at her neck again and she wrapped her arms around him to hold him close and revel in the post-coital cuddling.

"Mm... We should do this more often," she said.

"I thought you didn't really like to be taken from behind." Jeff brushed away the curls of her hair that had stuck to her damp cheek and kissed her, grabbing her ass and giving her a squeeze at the same time, making her yelp again. "But if you'd prefer being woken up like this everyday, I'm okay with that."

He was being facetious. But he was always the most light-hearted when freshly laid. And maybe it was this carefree moment of pure contentment that she enjoyed most about Morning Sex.

"You know I love every minute with you." It was true she preferred looking into his steel-grey eyes when they made love, but a good, rough romp got her heart pumping just as fast, making her body hum. He always made her body hum with pleasure. Maybe because he knew her desires sometimes before she did, like that at this moment, she wanted to kiss on him. He rolled them so that she was lying on top, giving her better access to nuzzle the silver flecked grey curls on his chest and then to try to suck a mark onto his neck, which he thwarted probably just in time.

It was a little game they played with one another, especially when they had some sexy times in the morning. Trying to see if they could get away with visibly marking their lover, which would doubtless be extremely embarrassing for the markee when they got to the hospital and their work colleagues and friends just stared at the hickey all day. But it would be extremely pleasing to the one marking their territory. He'd managed to get her once or twice with a love bite, but she could hide it with her nebulous curly hair. Jeff would be shit out of luck if she managed to mark him on the neck.

He tangled his fingers in her untamed curly locks and gently tugged her head back, occupying and distracting her mouth with his.

In the back of Sarah's mind she realized there really might not be time for a cup of coffee before they had to leave for their shifts at the hospital. But this was so much better than coffee.

"Mm..." Yummy. Jeff Clarke was just so yummy. She raked her fingers through his short mousy-brown hair, admiring how the silver highlights glinted in the morning light. His body was solid and warm and so nicely formed. She knew every inch of him now and still the feel of him beneath her, against her, or inside of her thrilled her to her core. The way he looked at her with his steel-colored eyes, sometimes blue, sometimes grey...

She loved him. She loved how loyal and honest he was. She loved how compassionate and empathetic he was. She loved the way he was considerate enough to put the toilet seat down and didn't mind picking up feminine products for her (probably more a result of being married before but still, he was thoughtful). She loved the way he could tell she was having a bad day, and when he needed to prod her to talk about it or give her some space. She loved, but also hated, the amount of body heat he produced. Sometimes it comforted her. Sometimes, she woke up uncomfortable and drenched in sweat and had to open a window or crank the AC or go sleep on the couch. She hated how his protective nature teetered on the edge of being too much, going too far, was sometimes almost controlling until she pointed it out and he reined it in. She hated that when they were with a group of his friends, he seemed self conscious about how his girlfriend was only 26 years old. She hated it because she loved him.

She loved him.

"I love you."

His steel eyes sparkled at her.

"I love you, too, Strawberry."

Oh, and she both hated and loved his pet name for her. She hated it because he didn't call her 'strawberry' referring to the scent of her shampoo (she'd blushed so hard when he explained the real reason to her). But she also loved it because it was a sign of his genuine and deep affection for her.

She kissed him and then hugged him, snuggling against his chest, letting the beating of his heart and rhythm of his breathing lull her into a trance-like state bordering on unconsciousness.

The doorbell buzzed. Jeff jerked beneath her. Apparently, he'd fallen back asleep. She'd almost drifted off herself.

"Noooo..." she groaned in protest, tightening her hold on him as his muscles tensed in preparation to get up. "Stay. Just a few more minutes. Please."

When there wasn't another buzz or any knocking, he relaxed back into bed. And it was just so blissfully perfect. They'd have to get up soon to get ready to go, but ten more minutes lying naked and content with Jeff Clarke was worth ignoring all the outside world.

"See. They went away. It wasn't anything."

"We probably should be getting up, anyway." He sounded just as enthused about the prospect of showering and dressing and heading into the hospital as she did. His delightful -so strong and warm- hands stroked along her spine, sending prickles of pleasure over her skin.

One of their phones buzzed, and it proceeded to vibrate over the edge of the bedside table and onto the rug with a muted thump. Damn. A glance at the remaining one allowed her to avoid the real world for a while longer, though.

"It was yours," she said, rolling off from him into the tangled up mess of blankets. She'd have to throw them all into the wash after that enthusiastic 'good morning' tryst. You'd think there wouldn't be as much clean up when they didn't have to worry about being careful. But without condoms, Sarah had learned sexual encounters were actually quite a bit messier. She definitely needed a shower. She groaned in protest to the idea of getting ready for the day, and also to the fact that Jeff had gotten out of bed to retrieve his phone.

"It's Nat," he announced with a frown. That worry line he sometimes got appearing between his brows. It was one she unfortunately knew well, since he'd done a lot of worrying about her when they first became friends and she was being stalked. "She's here."

"It couldn't wait until you got to the hospital?" Sarah felt equal parts worried and annoyed as she watched Jeff grab the pair of flannel pajama bottoms he'd worn to bed, wrinkle his nose at them and go for yesterday's jeans instead. (Guess she'd need to throw those in the wash along with all the bedding.)

"Must be important." He snagged a t-shirt as he headed out of the bedroom, and she hoped to god he managed to put it on before he got to the front door.

Okay, so she apparently could feel territorial, too.

Or maybe she just felt bad for Natalie Manning. The woman didn't need what she'd lost (that nicely toned, salt and pepper dabbled chest, flat stomach and those delectable strong arms of his) shoved in her face. Then again, she'd been the one that pulled the plug on their brief relationship. Had it even been that much? Sarah knew that Jeff had possessed some serious feelings for the attractive doctor. But it hadn't seemed to get far enough to be called an actual relationship. He'd confided in Sarah that all it was to Natalie was a sort of rebound fling... Apparently.

So then why the hell was the woman at his door at 7:30am, buzzing the doorbell and texting, getting him to leave the cozy warmth of his bed and his naked girlfriend?

Sarah shoved the venomous little thought aside. She'd woken up in such a good mood, to kisses and touches and other delights. And she liked Dr. Manning. She really did. She was a thoughtful, compassionate woman and an excellent doctor.

It was just... she'd been with the man Sarah loved. More than that. He'd been infatuated with Natalie Manning for a long time, even back when they'd both been married to other people.

Sarah rolled over a couple times, half falling out of the bed to force herself onto her feet. She should just hop in the shower. But she could hear voices down the hall. Jeff and Natalie talking. Not sounding serious. Even a hint of laughter. It twisted up something inside of Sarah. She knew it was jealousy. She knew it was irrational. And yet...

She decided a cup of coffee would be an excellent start to her morning after all.

Unfortunately the psychoanalyst in her was starting to wake up, but she ignored its snide little eyebrow lift as she pulled one of Jeff's dirty t-shirts on over her head and headed for the kitchen wearing nothing underneath the worn fabric.

"Good morning," she said in her most cheerful tone as she padded across the cold kitchen tile in her bare feet.

"Oh, hi, Sarah." Dr. Manning was obviously a little surprised to see the younger woman at her ex's place. Which surprised Sarah in return. As far as she could tell, the entire hospital knew what Dr. Reese and Jeff Clarke got down to at night. (And in the morning. And sometimes in the afternoon.)

"Would you like a cup of coffee, Natalie?" Sarah went about the business of setting the coffee maker to percolate, ignoring the incredulous expression on Jeff's face as he tried to figure out why she was being weird. And she was, wasn't she?

"That would be fantastic, thank you." Natalie smiled but her eyes quickly took in the younger woman's appearance before snapping back to her face.

Suddenly, Sarah was very aware of her nakedness beneath the soft fabric of Jeff's t-shirt, how her thighs still felt sticky and soiled, how she probably smelled of Jeff's sooty-sweaty scent and sex. But it was too late now. She'd succumbed to the jealous instinct and had to deal with the consequences, the shame of being so blatantly territorial.

It wasn't as if she'd waltzed in and draped herself around Jeff. She hadn't even really looked in his direction, just enough to see that he was standing on the other side of the kitchen from Natalie, the two ex-lovers leaning against opposite counters, casual but separated. Their body language was either completely innocent or carefully arranged to disguise their real feelings about one another.

Sarah wanted to believe the former. Because she trusted Jeff Clarke with her life and more. She trusted him with her heart.

She got some mugs out, the cream and sugar. But the coffee pot was slow to fill, so it provided her an excuse to stop being a possessive bitch of a girlfriend.

"The coffee will take a few minutes. I'm going to hop in the shower," she said, making a hasty retreat, ordering herself not to linger just around the corner and eavesdrop, which she did anyway.

"So, if you could come over tonight..." Jeff's attractive ex-lover sounded uncertain and needy.

"I'll always be there for you, Natalie."

Hearing him speak those words to another woman stabbed Sarah in the heart. Because he was always honest. He always meant what he said. And said what he meant. But she knew it couldn't be what it sounded like. She knew it wasn't. Natalie Manning didn't want Jeff Clarke in any romantic way. And he'd said that Sarah was the love of his life. And he always meant what he said. And said what he meant.

So Sarah forced her feet to carry her into the bathroom and the shower and tried not to think about the man she loved making promises to a woman who used to have a claim on his heart. Because that was being silly. It was being irrational to think such things.

They were old friends. Sarah knew it well. She also knew the way Jeff looked at her, at her, not Natalie Manning. It was Sarah's arms he sought at the end of a rough day. It was her lips he kissed. It was between her thighs that he found joy, pleasure and contentment.

So why was she being so incredibly irrational? She was filled with jealousy and an overwhelming possessive urge to claim her man in every way possible. She tried to fight it down with reason as she washed the remnants of their earlier coupling from her body. Didn't that physical, tangible evidence clearly show who possessed him?

Jeff Clarke was hers damn it. He was hers.

Why was she being so emotional? So moody? She hadn't felt so unstable since her hormones had been all out of wake when she'd been on birth control. But she'd stopped- Oh, god! Could she be...?

She put a hand out against the slippery shower wall to steady herself and took a deep breath, thinking. When was the last time she'd had her period? What was the date? She'd always been extremely regular, so you'd think that would've made her more likely to notice she was late. But she just got so busy with the hospital work, so taken up with Jeff, falling in love with him, that she didn't pay attention.

Also, she'd avoided thinking about it, charting it, looking for it. Because she hadn't wanted to put that sort of pressure on herself, or him, or them as a couple. But if she was pregnant, then it wasn't an accident by any means.

It had been her idea, started when she realized she didn't want to be on hormone-based birth control (making her feel all moody and weird). But the proposal hadn't been a hasty decision. She was in her prime child-bearing years. And Jeff, he was on the waning side of them for men. They'd talked about kids in an off-handed way before. She'd known that he'd wanted them. It just hadn't happened with Lisa (which Sarah honestly suspected was likely a conscious choice by the selfish woman).

And they were a little busy with their careers, but had managed to find the time for each other, loved each other, and were actually financially quite stable. She'd considered the wording to use for days, but of course blurted it out awkwardly anyway. But he knew her so well, better than anyone ever had. He'd understood her intent, that she didn't want to pressure him into anything, didn't want to make it into the goal of their relationship even if he did decide it would be a welcome situation. She'd just been thinking about how her life had seemed to turn down a different path, where it might lead, how would she feel about this divergence from her 'life plan'… What if they didn't use birth control? What if she happened to get pregnant? The idea had grown on her more and more, of having a child, of having his child.

So, a few months ago, they'd made the decision and she'd gone off the birth control, knowing it might take awhile for her reproductive system to snap back to normal, knowing that it could be just as likely that they wouldn't be able to get pregnant as her getting knocked up. She didn't want to build it up, to get too obsessed, to ruin what she had with Jeff, so she'd forced the nascent desire to the back of her mind.

And now, it had come raging back full force, overwhelming her with an acute happiness, eagerness, anticipation and, frankly, fear.

Don't get too excited, Sarah.

She closed her eyes and did a meditation exercise as she dried herself off and dressed. Because the disappointment would be crushing if she allowed herself to get so worked up. And that was the precise stressor she never wanted to tarnish her love for Jeff Clarke.

But she was nearly two weeks late, wasn't she? And moody and irrational.

Jeff had gotten her some pregnancy tests to keep along with other female products at his place. It had been his way to make it clear that he was in favor of their 'let's see what happens' decision to stop using birth control, that she hadn't just pressured him into it.

Her hand shook when she pulled one of the boxes out of the back of the bathroom cupboard. It was silly. But try as she might, she couldn't force herself to be rational.

A/N: Is Sarah pregnant? What does Natalie want from Jeff? More to come soon…