Racing Hearts
AU. When Sarah's father returns to her life years later claiming he wants to make amends she struggles a bit with the decision of letting the man who once betrayed her into her heart again? Will her family make her see there's forgiveness after all?
I own nothing.
Sarah battled with herself as she knocked on the door. Connor was going to kill her.
"Sarah?" She heard her father say in utter surprise.
"Let me just say what I came here for okay? Before you say anything else..." She began taking a deep breath. "I know you are on the list for a transplant."
"I am being considered according to Dr. Charles, yes." Robert said.
"And you want Connor involved? You can't be that clueless, can you?" It sounded harsher than intended but Sarah wasn't really trying to downplay it.
"I had no idea when I first requested him that he was your husband Sarah." Robert said. They were still standing outside his home and it seemed things were about to get heated. "Otherwise I wouldn't have..."
"He's not even allowed to touch you,we're not supposed to treat family." She told him. "But even after knowing about it you still went to him."
"I needed to know if I had a chance to get you to talk to me." Robert admitted.
"So, that's it? You didn't do it because of the money? After you found out more about Connor or my connection to him?" Robert sighed.
"Sarah, what kind of man do you think I am? I wouldn't just come back into your life for money..." He said. "Lord knows if I am to die I didn't want to do so before correcting my wrongs."
Sarah froze. "So this is about wanting redemption?"
"If I can, yeah." He said. "I know I might not deserve it but..."
"No, you don't." She cut him off. "I don't even know what I'm doing here."
"Why don't you come inside, we can talk?"
She didn't move. "Sarah..."
"You left. You didn't write, you didn't call and I couldn't understand it, I blamed myself, maybe I hadn't been good enough and I kept believing that my whole life. I wasn't good enough to make it to choir or cheerleading or law and medicine. Or even a good mother, you made me feel like I wasn't enough for my children."
"Sarah, that is of course not the case, you should be proud of all you've accomplished..." He told her.
"Are you... proud I mean? Do you feel anything? Because the moment my kids do something, no matter how small, I feel like my heart is about to explode." Why was she telling him this?
"Of course." For some reason she didn't believe him.
Her phone buzzed. It was Connor.
"I can't do this, you know, I thought I'd be able to put it all aside and allow myself to face you and deal with all that's holding me back to rest but maybe I am not brave enough." Sarah felt herself in the verge of tears as she kept allowing the phone to sound off.
She took a step back and she hoped Robert would try and call her name or take a step forward but he didn't. Not that she had wanted him too, but the little girl in Sarah hoped that at least he cared a little, that he held a bit of remorse for leaving all those years ago.
Sarah Reese thought she was good at reading people, turns out she was wrong.
Connor came into work after Sarah, he'd been in and out of the night shift as he'd been avoiding almost everyone. Natalie asked him about the kids and whether he and Reese would be interested in a double date.
Good way to avoid people Rhodes.
Actually, that didn't sound so bad. "I'll get back to you on that." He said with a smile, truth be told, the lack of sleep due to the Robert situation and Ollie's current frail health was starting to take a toll on his and Sarah's relationship. She had wanted to address it with him but both were too exhausted to get into arguments. Maybe a night out was something they both needed.
"Alright, let me know." Natalie smiled. He turned back to his phone, Sarah hadn't called back and he was starting to get worried.
"Hey Nat. Have you seen Sarah anywhere?" He asked.
"Not today, didn't you come in together?"
"No, she had a later shift." Natalie looked down at his phone.
"Are you two okay? I mean, I know it's been a lot with Ollie and her father but..."
"We're fine." Connor said quickly. Natalie was about to take a step forward. "But I'm worried."
Natalie gave him a kind smile. "Well, it's a lot and you have the boys to think about, I'm sure Sarah is just feeling a bit overwhelmed."
Connor bit his lip. "There's this thing with her father..."
"What about him?"
"I'm thinking he might be dangerous." He said. Natalie took a cold step back and thought of the night Ollie had been been brought in, the way Robert had been casually showed up to see her. "What?"
"What was that that you were going to ask me? A few weeks ago? When Ollie was admitted?" Natalie asked. "To not leave Sarah alone, right?
Connor nodded. "Why?"
"Because I'm thinking he might be dangerous too." Connor gave Natalie a puzzled look. "Come with me." They headed down the hall and into the elevator to go find Dr. Charles.
Just as the metal doors opened, Sarah Reese let out a loud sigh as she came face to face with Connor. "I almost did something something really stupid, well I did but it could have been worse." She said. Connor held her as he inhaled her scent and thanked the heavens she was back with him and as far from Robert as she could.
"Where you going to see Dr. Charles?" Sarah asked. "This is about my father isn't it?"
Natalie and Connor looked at each other.
"Is he dangerous?" Connor asked. Sarah sat there beside him, well he was no longer standing but...
"He doesn't seem to be violent." Daniel said calmly. "But I would recommend Dr. Reese to be cautious around him, especially because of her emotional connection to him, she could be at risk of being..."
"Manipulated?" Sarah inquired. Her head was spinning and she wanted to throw up.
"So, what's... I mean what do you think it's the diagnosis?" Natalie asked. Daniel sighed as he stared at the three younger doctors.
"Natalie, would you mind giving me a minute with Connor and Sarah?" Nat didn't move at first, Sarah nodded as she watched Dr. Manning close the door behind her. "The signs..."
"They all indicate an antisocial personality disorder." Sarah said. Connor turned back to look at her.
Connor checked on the kids one last time before closing the door behind him, Ollie seemed to be back to his old self as he continued to be on the mend from his last intervention. It had turned out in his best interest and according to Dr. Latham that his shunt be replaced before considering a more invasive procedure as he continued to be on the list. Pediatric transplants were the hardest to score in one's career as those organs were less likely to become available.
It wasn't as easy to find a little person's heart, especially one that met all the criteria for Ollie.
And personally, Connor found it the hardest of cases when he had to do assist on a pediatric case like that, even before having kids and dealing with his own child's condition. "They're out, finally."
Sarah was sitting at the table, glasses and computer in hand as she hadn't seem to hear him. "How did I not see it before?"
"Sarah..."
"I'm trained for it and I didn't see it. My mother always claimed Robert was crazy but I just thought she was bitter you know? That she resented him." Connor stood behind Sarah so he could get a closer look at the screen. "How could I not see it."
"Maybe you just didn't want to believe it to be true. We don't ever want to believe the worse of people." Connor said kissing her forehead. "You didn't do anything wrong Sarah."
Sarah bit her lip. "He will just get worse, it won't be easy for him to be put on the list, right? I mean if Dr. Charles has made the diagnosis...It's not exactly easy for him to be picked above someone else."
"No, it's less likely for him to get it, but I can ask Dr. Latham." Connor told her. "Please let's go to bed." Sarah turned back to look at him. "Babe, I know it's a lot to take in and you might want to..."
"I'm not taking days off, now more than ever I need to be at work so I don't think about it..." Sarah said.
"Alright..." Sarah slammed the screen down and then turned around to face Connor.
"You love our babies, right? You love them in a way that if there was a way to stop their pain you'd do anything to prevent it?" Connor raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you?"
"How can you ask me that? Of course I do, those kids and you. You are my entire world."
Sarah nodded, as if she was trying to process what he'd just said. "I'd give Ollie my heart if I could..." Connor's blood cooled. "I would because I love him more than anything and I love you for loving me and marrying me and..."
"Sarah, breathe..." He reached to touch her face sofly. "If you're trying to find any trace or evidence that you might turn out to be like your father..."
"I have thought about it." She told him. "I've wondered if maybe I haven't been patient enough or loving towards you or the boys, any sign that I am not able to feel empathy."
"Reese." Connor said firmly. "The fact that you said you'd give Ollie your heart makes that hypothesis vain. You are nothing like Robert." Connor knelt in front of her. "You are an amazing woman." He took her hands in his."An amazing mother, partner and doctor Sarah, please believe me." And then he kissed her, pouring all the emotions of the day in one kiss.
"I believe you." She said breaking the kiss. Connor could see she was crying. "I believe you and I love you."
Sooo... what did you think? Will Robert's condition worsen and what about Ollie? When the team is faced with tragedy at the hospital, it might mean a glimpse of hope for Connor and Sarah
And yes, we will see that double date soon!
