For the purposes of this story, please suspend all notions of the timeline from the original episodes as they were all just used as jumping-off points to further this fiction. Hope you enjoy. Review are always welcome - good, bad or ugly!
This was exactly what the doctor ordered, Lily thought as the water cascaded over her.
Sure, the waterfall was located along a popular hiking trail, but beggars couldn't be choosers considering the heavy petting going on in the shower this morning by Tommy and his latest conquest from the Cantina last night. If Lily was wanting a shower at all this morning, she'd have to risk a little peek-a-boo session. This place was so amazing; it would almost be worth getting caught.
In a rush to get into the water before losing her nerve, Lily had tossed her towel on the rock closest to her entrance to the pond. Unfortunately, while luxuriating under the sheet of water, Lily didn't realize the precarious hold her towel had on that rock. A slight breeze was all it took for her towel to slide off the rock's slippery surface into the water and start its slow journey to the other end of the pond.
No soap for this special location. Lily was sure that no dirt could withstand the friction from the force of the water hitting her body. She'd be sure to squeak after this. Realizing that she had taken far too long already with the change in her morning routine, Lily forced herself away from the waterfall's soothing effects, only to find that her towel had drifted to the other end of the pond. As she lazily stroked her way towards it, she realized that her towel was no longer floating, but was now in the hand of the last person she wanted to see like this – a strikingly beautiful man who was quite possibly one of the greatest humanitarians on the face of the planet.
Her boss.
Dr. Ben Keeton crouched down at the pond's edge and reached out to grab the wayward towel of one of his new recruits – actually, the only one of his new recruits that intrigued him…Brenner.
Dr. Lily Brenner…tough to get a handle on that one. She was beautiful and smart as a whip - she had great instincts, that one. At first glance, what seemed to be a soft and gentle nature gave way to an underlying strength and courage that many of the male doctors he knew didn't even possess. And she was so open – something that he was not. One look from Brenner and he had to fight the urge to spill his guts – sometimes to the point of taking the coward's way out and running away, her pull was that strong.
She was a real paradox, and that made him curious.
Her gentle grace and caring nature was apparent to everyone she came in contact with. She made him feel…things that he hadn't felt in a long time – not with Ryan…not since Abby. Even to compare his feelings for Abby - at least his feelings early on in his relationship with Abby - was a disservice to Lily Brenner.
She made him itch…and he wasn't sure if he liked the feeling, but like it or not, right now he was faced with an opportunity.
Realizing that the crystal clear water hid nothing, Lily quickly turned and dolphin-kicked away from Keaton and the safety of her towel. Scrambling out of the water to hide behind the cover of a leafy plant, Lily was mortified that she was standing naked in front of her boss, except for a few leaves to preserve her modesty.
Squeezing the water from Brenner's towel, Keeton slowly approached his new doctor. "You realize that you're bathing along a popular hiking trail?"
"Um, yeah…but it was either this or go through the day with no shower at all." Damn it, if it wasn't for rotten luck, she'd have no luck at all! She was cornered.
"What's wrong with your shower at the cabins?" Keeton asked, already knowing the answer.
"It was…in use this morning when I got up." Lily chose her words with care so as not to bust Tommy and his flavour of the moment.
"Ah…a little crowded with Fuller and the French girl from the Cantina last night, hey?" Keeton smiled, filling in the blanks considering he passed right by Brenner's cabin this morning on his way to his morning hike. There were other trails he could have taken, but this morning something had drawn him in the direction of her cabin and to this waterfall in particular. Luckily he always followed his gut.
"Something like that, yeah." Lily smiled nervously as Keeton approached. Crap, these leaves could only hide so much! She held her arm out for the towel, but no towel was offered…and Keeton was still walking towards her. Stop walking, Keeton!
"You seem nervous, Brenner. No worries - I'm a doctor…I've seen it all before." Keeton replied, his dimple flashing. He continued his leisurely walk toward the woman behind the leaves.
"So, if I asked you how much you saw, you'd…"
"Seeing, Brenner – present tense. That plant you're hiding behind doesn't leave much to the imagination," he teased. "I never thought you'd be one to cower behind a plant. What happened to that brave woman from the zip line?"
"That woman from the zip line was just doing her job…and doing it under duress. I'm not on the clock right now, and you don't make me nervous." Liar. "Now if you would just hand me my towel, I can get ready for work and you can be on your way for your hike." He'd have to respond to logic, wouldn't he?
"You must know by now that I never make anything easy on my doctors. If you're not nervous, prove it. All you have to do is come and get your towel, and I'll be on my way." Not sure why he was tempting fate, he held the towel open for Brenner.
"You think that I won't do it? You think that you intimidate me?"
"No, Brenner, I'm hoping you'll do it and it pains me that you think so little of me to think that I'm trying to intimidate you. It's my job to test you in all sorts of situations. This is just one of those tests." Keeton puts his hand over his heart. "Am I bleeding? I think your low opinion of me drew blood - I may need a doctor."
"Oh, shut up. You know that you're intentionally trying to make me nervous. And as for needing a doctor, I think that you're receiving ample care from Dr. Clark. There's nothing that I can offer that you aren't already receiving from her." Lily happened upon Clark and Keeton sharing a 'private' moment a few days ago – the same day she found out on their day-trip to San Miguel that Keeton's wife wasn't dead, but had been in a minimally-conscious state for the past 5 years. That was the day when she realized that her perfect humanitarian was just…human – flawed…like herself.
It looked like he wasn't going to back down…so neither was she. He started this, but she was going to finish it. She could do this. He's a doctor, for crying out loud. He's seen it all before. Mustering her courage, she pinned Keeton with her gaze and walked slowly and deliberately towards him with her arms at her sides.
Gulp.
Oh god, why did he start this? What was he thinking? She was a vision, walking towards him in defiance – her eyes daring him to look away. She was perfect…and he'd never wanted anything so badly in his life. Not Ryan…and not Abby.
As she walked slowly towards him, stopping just in front of him, Keeton had to remind himself that he still held the towel open for her. Letting go of one end of the towel, he moved it behind her, his gaze never wavering from hers. Lily lifted her arms from her sides, allowing Keeton to wrap the towel around her body, his fingers lingering at her breast as he tucked in the corner to anchor it.
"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Keeton teased, his voice husky from what just passed between them.
"You tell me, Dr. Keeton. Hard is definitely the word I'd use to describe it." Lily, empowered by her most recent actions, taunted gently, her gaze slowly running down his body coming to rest on the straining zipper of his jeans. She now knew the power she had over this man and she wasn't going to waste this opportunity to tease him. Not after he started this whole thing.
Keeton's dimples flashed as his smile widened in surprise. "Who are you and what have you done with Dr. Brenner?" She was learning, his new recruit.
"Oh, don't worry…she isn't far. The real Dr. Brenner will be back at the clinic for her shift." Lily replied with a little smile on her face.
And as Keeton reached out to tuck a strand of wet hair behind Brenner's ear, he leaned in and whispered, "Why are you so sure that's the real you, Brenner?" Then straightening and backing away from her, he said, "Clinic opens in 25 minutes. Don't be late," and with that, disappeared down the trail leaving Lily staring at his back.
She was there in twenty, and as she climbed the stairs to the veranda to join Tommy, Zee, Cole and Mina, Lily made to walk by the one man who made her pulse race and her knees buckle with just a look. A hand reached out to gently grab her wrist, detaining her, his thumb tracing lazy circles along her skin.
"Dr. Keeton." Lily tensed, steeling herself for the comment that surely was to follow.
"Dr. Brenner." That's all? Thank God! He wasn't going to mention anything.
Keeton knew he was going to catch hell, but couldn't resist. "I almost didn't recognize you with your clothes on."
Four heads swivelled simultaneously to stare at Lily.
Oh crap.
