Author's Note: Buckle up for a bit of a longer story-probably around ten-ish chapters. The bad news is that I'll have to post incrementally as I find the time to edit each chapter. But the good news is that the story is completely done so there shouldn't be too much of a wait.

I end up writing this type of story for almost every fandom I write for and they tend to be some of my favorites. Here, a story where the main characters are separated for a time is useful to get Claire and Neil on equal footing. I hope you enjoy and feedback is always welcome to help me get better writing for these characters.

And on a technical note, for clarity, anything in italics is a flashback with the rest being present day.


Chapter One

Neil called Claire that night after she'd been dismissed from the program. It didn't seem right not to reach out to her.

He waited until he got home of course, the risk of interruption or distraction too high at the hospital. Knowing what he had to do, he headed straight to his minibar for a healthy pour of bourbon after dropping his briefcase on his kitchen island. Droplets of moisture dotted his blazer from his sprint to the front door to avoid the worst of the sudden downpour. Allowing himself a few sips, he stripped the now too tight jacket off, a languid tangle of limbs and material that he tossed on the back of the couch. He watched the rain slam into the window as it started to come down harder and thunder cracked in the distance.

The ominous mood seemed appropriate. Yet he couldn't imagine what it must feel like to Claire right now.

He stalled for about half an hour, just sitting on the couch, until finally pulling out his phone to stare at it for another five minutes. Neil willed himself to pull her number from his contacts and connected the call before he could convince himself she'd be better off not hearing from him; the moment too raw for him to be of any comfort. It felt like no amount of time or reflection could help him justify what had happened. As the phone rang, he agonized over how to string together the words that would make the situation alright despite knowing that those platitudes did not exist. He feared she wouldn't answer the phone, maybe too upset or bitter to talk to anyone, especially him. It's not like he could blame her.

She'd answered on the third ring, enough time for her to have considered and reconsidered whether her attending—her former attending—was someone she could face at the moment. It relieved him and unnerved him at the same time.

As they talked, she'd been gracious. Sad. There were the apologies, certainly; then an acceptance of his apology. Next came assurances that she'd be okay and that he thought so highly of her despite the setback.

"I wasn't sure you'd answer," Neil admitted finally. "Maybe you wouldn't be home or …" He couldn't quite open the door to her confirming that she may not have wanted to talk to him.

"Park and a couple of the nurses texted about getting a drink, but I don't think I'm up for that tonight," Claire chuckled humorlessly.

"Yeah." A lame response, even to him. He realized all of this was just dancing around what he really wanted to tell her: that he didn't want any of this. And Claire being Claire, she beat him to it.

"I know this wasn't you. It's fine. Really."

Neil ran his fingers through his hair, taken aback. "How…"

"Your eye twitches when you're pissed," she explained, amused.

Neil smiled into the phone. "Well, I guess you'd know all about that."

The sincerity of her laugh made him feel a little better about the situation and that she would be okay.

"What is it you like to say? 'At least I won't have you breathing down my neck.'"

"There is that," he responded sadly. "Claire. I…" The rights words failed him. What could he possibly do to make things better? He settled on the only thing he thought he could do. "I'll make some calls tomorrow. Just tell me what you want."

Claire sighed on the other end of the line. "Thank you. Really. Actually, Dr. Glassman got me some meetings in San Diego. At Presbyterian and Downtown Memorial. So, I'm packing now to take the first flight out tomorrow morning."

The blow of that made Neil sink down into the couch in defeat. He'd held out hope that he could play one last role as her mentor, go over options and make the calls to bridge this experience to the next. Staying in San Jose may have been too much to ask for, but he'd been thinking other parts of the Bay Area or maybe even Sacramento. That Aaron beat him to that stung. And those two hospitals weren't ones he'd have picked for her, both being more research focused than beacons of surgical excellence. Not that they were bad, far from it—they were excellent hospitals with competitive residency programs. Mostly he thought them so different from what she had here.

It seems she'd turned out to be the quicker of them to adjust. And it bummed him out.

Maybe sensing this somehow, she quickly added, "I'm hoping you'll be able to give them a good recommendation of what I can do and what I'm capable of."

"Claire, don't ever worry about that," he assured her.

"Good," she replied. "I'll expect to hear all about your gushing over my brilliance then?"

Neil chuckled. "Of course." It felt nice that she was willing to indulge in their running joke about him admitting to her brilliance.

Once in the first year of her residency, right after Reznick joined his rotation and he'd seen the cracks in her confidence showing, he'd let slip how highly he regarded her; that he thought her unique and special. On his way home, he'd second-guessed himself, wondering if he made a mistake to be that candid about her potential—maybe she'd take it the wrong way or rest on her laurels. And then he remembered that this was Claire Browne he was talking about, one of the most forthright people he'd ever worked with. That helped him laugh it off and, of course, he'd had nothing to worry about. And most importantly, he'd meant every word. Still did.

Claire's loud exhale broke into his old memory before dying away in the silence between them. She cleared her throat, as if stalling for something to say. "This actually gives me time to do some other stuff I've been thinking about. With everything going on at the border, they still need doctors. I emailed some people this afternoon and I think I'll be able to do a rotation there while I'm waiting to hear back from other programs. If San Diego works out, I can find an apartment and get settled before I start."

That sounded like Claire Browne alright. Always taking care of other people. "Sounds practical."

Another awkward pause. Their time was coming up short. The finality of it felt all wrong and painful in a way that surprised him. He could tell himself that she was just another resident, one of dozens he'd had before and many that would come after. Maybe it would quiet the guilt. And yet, the lie in that warred with the undeniable truth that he missed her already.

"I'll email you when I have a final placement. And I'll remember what you said. No waiting for it." That she'd been thinking of the same memory he'd only moments before recalled shattered him. "Thanks again. For everything."

Neil sighed. "I mean it. If you need anything—"

"I'll ask," she assured him. "I should go, though. I still need to pack."

Neil tried to think of something else to say, a way to linger. As if that would make things right. Instead, the only option left to him was to let her go. "I'll leave you to it then."

They said their goodbyes. Soon after she was gone for good.

TBC...