Ellis/Richard/Adele
No particular season. Set During Richard's residency.
"Richard," Adele's voice, soft yet so full of meaning, he couldn't help but look up at his wife as she entered the elevator. He smiled, and hated how robotic it felt.
"Adele," he nodded to his wife, folding the patient's chart under his arm.
"You didn't come home last night."
The guilt tugged at his heart. "I'm sorry honey, there was an emergency."
"Mmm," she hummed.
Look, he wanted to say. I'll make it up to you. Dinner. A walk under the stars. But he couldn't. He couldn't make promises he couldn't keep anymore, especially now that he was breaking his vows already.
Instead, he swept his hand upwards, gesturing to the small tri-leaf plant with the red berries that dangled over them.
"Oh," his wife gasped with anticipation.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, bending her backwards, just a little, and... with every once of love he had left for her, he pressed his lips on hers. She moved with him, melted into his chest, slid her fingers through his hair. He kissed her until she was breathless. Speechless.
"Oh," she managed to pant, placing a hand on her chest, "Richard."
He grinned. He still had it.
The elevator stopped, the doors opened, and Richard turned to stare right into a pair of cool grey eyes. He straightened, fumbling with Adele's weight in his arms. "Uh, El- uh, Dr. Grey..."
"Doctor Webber," she smiled broadly, too broadly, before standing beside him, hands in the pockets of her lab coat.
His wife gained her composure, and patted her hair as the Elevator doors closed. "That was sweet, Richard. So very romantic, kissing me under the mistletoe." She hooked her arm around his, claiming him.
"Uh..." he stuttered, caught between his two loves. "Well, it's Christmas."
"What about you Doctor Grey?" Adele asked, "Does your husband kiss you under the mistletoe?"
Dr. Grey raised an eyebrow to his wife, "Christmas is a frivolous and ridiculous holiday, filled with silly and inane sentiment. Thatcher knows better."
Although he loved Ellis, Richard couldn't help but feel a little stab of rejection at her words. The holidays to him, were always a time of wonder and celebration.
Adele's grip on his arm grew a little tighter. "That's too bad, Dr. Grey. The holidays must be awful for you."
"No matter, I prefer to be here, working. Advancing medicine," she answered.
The elevator stopped and the doors opened. "This is my floor, dear." Adele said. "I'll see you at home tonight, right?"
"Of course," he smiled shakily.
The doors closed, and he was left with Ellis, the woman he was falling for with every elevator ride. He didn't know what to do.
"Oh," Ellis said mockingly, placing a hand on her chest. "That was so sweet, so very romantic... kissing me under the mistletoe..." Sarcasm dripped off every word like a leaky faucet.
"Ellis, I-" Richard started, but the elevator jolted, stopping mid-floor.
Ellis took her hand off the STOP button. He stared at her, confused.
She stepped toward him, tucking a bit of hair behind her ear. "Thatcher knows better," she whispered, placing her hands on his chest. "Do you?"
He saw grey-green under thick lashes, a small pert nose, and delicate, enticing red lips. Richard swallowed, and then he smiled out the side of his mouth.
He'd show her. No one was gonna mock Christmas and get away with it. He palmed her cheeks, feeling her surprised gasp against his chin as he turned her against the wall. His lips crashed on hers, plunging, passionate.
Frivolous? He'd show her.
Ridiculous?
"Richard," Ellis panted before he caught her lips once more and tugged.
Silly and inane sentiment?
Oh... he'd show her alright, he thought as he continued to kiss her into oblivion.
And then he pulled away, gazing at the mess of a woman before him. Play it cool, he shrugged, "I guess I don't know any better."
"Richard..." Ellis breathed, flustered. Her hands fluttered about, adjusting her blouse and skirt, running through her simple hair style to straighten it.
He picked up the chart he'd dropped and pressed the elevator stop button. He turned to face the doors, feeling the tug of the elevator as it pulled upwards.
"Richard," Ellis said again, almost pleading.
The doors opened, and he took a half-step before stopping, holding the door open. "You know," he said, "Christmas only comes once a year," he smirked, and then he stepped out and the door closed behind him.