I do not own Doctor Strange. Thanks to my reviewer Minecraft Guardiansaiyanfor putting this excellent plotbunny in my head with their two latest reviews.
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Nick had not told anybody. He was too embarrassed to, especially when the nurses noted that Christine had started to carry a ring on a chain around her neck. Nobody had wanted to be the first to ask her about it; but speculation was running wild all over the hospital.
Today, Christine and Nick both had shifts ending at mid-day: they would be leaving 'together' for the first time in forever. He knew she had not come in a car, and while she could take the underground or a cab, surely getting a ride would be more pleasant? He was certain she was just having him on about Strange - that ring was surely just part of an elaborate prank on her part - and he would finally come through to her today. Yes, he had plans.
He noted as he left the locker rooms just behind her that the plan was going well so far. Christine had exited the female locker room only just before he had left his, and was standing only about ten meters down the hallway, chatting animatedly to a nurse.
Hanging back, Nick waited for them to say goodbye before he started walking after her. He was still in his scrubs, but Christine was wearing a rather nice, dove-grey dress which flared out at her hips from a fitted bodice which was showing off her thin waist. Yes, right, pregnant. Nobody was buying it, lady!
She was walking out the front of the hospital - saying her goodbyes of the day to a few people she'd been on shift with - without looking back, making it easy to follow her. A few other people noticed, but Nick did not notice them; nor heed their frowns or raised eyebrows. He was not aware of the rumours about his puppy-like crush on his clearly not interested colleague, although it would have mortified him if he had been.
Christine elegantly swung on a tight white leather jacket as she went out the main doors and stopped at the edge of the parking lot. Nick grinned for himself, heading towards her. Now was the time. This was almost too easy.
Just as he was a mere two steps away from reaching her, a car driving came up before them. It stopped just ahead of Christine. Though Nick didn't know a thing about cars, even he had to raise an eyebrow. It was clearly a brand-new sports car of some sort, the sort of thing Strange tended to drive, before, and it was absolutely gorgeous even to somebody completely uninterested by cars.
He only had time to frown in confusion, as the door immediately opened. He almost had to pick his jaw off of the floor as Strange of all people exited, coming around to give Christine a warm hug and a sweet little kiss that had Nick fuming. How dare he!
Christine was beaming right back at Strange, reaching her hand out for something. They still hadn't noticed Nick, or if they had, they certainly payed him no notice. With some surprise, Nick noted that the object which Strange willingly dropped into Christine's palm was a car key. He then preceeded to hold the driver's door open for her, closing it behind her as she got in, before heading around the car to the passenger seat, completely ignoring Nick even though his feet had moved closer on his own account and he now was so close Strange couldn't possibly not see him.
As the doors closed, Nick took a step to the side, feeling lightly dizzy and avoiding a huge puddle with only inches. Christine wasn't mocking him at all - she really was with Strange. Who had gotten a brand new sports car, even though he was still wearing blue robes and a red cloak.
But they were... which meant... Nick felt sick. It didn't get any better as the car took off with exuberance, drowning him in muddy water from the puddle he had only narrowly avoided stepping into himself.