We Should Be Together For Christmas
zeilfanaat
Category: Romance, Drama
Ratings: G, K
Warning: A/U
Disclaimer: DOC does not belong to me. The show is created by the Johnson brothers.
Spoilers: None that I can think of at the moment
Summary: What do you do when there's a chance you'll be separated from the one you love during Christmas?
Archive: i2eye Fan Forum, fanfiction. net
Challenge: This story started out as an idea for i2eye Fan Forum Christmas Challenge 2008, however I didn't make the deadline, so it became just a normal work in progress. Which in my case tends to mean it will take ages to finish. And what do you know, it took me almost a year. So, I finished it last year on Christmas day, and I'm now posting it here.
A/N: This story takes place somewhere during season 4 or 5.
Started: 1st of February 2009
Finished: 25th of December 2009
Chapter 1
3 days before Christmas
"What are your plans for Christmas, Oliver?" doctor Derek Hebert asked.
Without looking up from the chart he held in his hands, doctor Crane replied, "I'm taking my wife out for dinner."
"Aw, that's so nice," Tippy Williams-Doss said dreamily. She could hardly wait for her own husband to return from his assignment abroad. Doctor Crane looked up briefly to see her dreamy expression, before rolling his eyes. He was about to make a nasty remark when the phone rang and Tippy awoke from her day dream.
"Westbury Clinic, how may I help you?" she answered cheerfully. "Steven!" she cried out in surprise. Immediately doctor Crane's eyebrows rose. He would have spoken up had not doctor Hebert shaken his head. Whispering loudly, Crane glared at him. "This is a clinic, not her home!"
"Major Doss has been away for two months and they've hardly been able to talk to each other. Just let them be for a few moments," doctor Hebert said, trying to calm down his colleague.
"I still say that private conversations should be exactly that, and-"
"Oh… oh… are you sure?" Tippy's suddenly subdued voice caused the two doctors to look at her. "But you're alright? … ok… I'm sorry too… no… no… it's ok… I love you… bye."
"Tippy, what's wrong?" Derek asked immediately after she'd hung up.
"That was Steven."
"We figured that out," Crane said irritated, earning a look from Derek.
"He's not going to be able to make it home before Christmas," Tippy continued, not picking up on doctor Crane's tone. "He couldn't tell me specifics, just that he's ok, and they'd been delayed, so he might not be here till a week later at least…" Tippy looked so sad that even Oliver felt a little sorry for her. Then she took a deep breath, looked at the two doctors with a brave smile and nodded. "But at least he'll be home."
Doctor Hebert nodded and smiled in understanding. Doctor Crane put away the chart of the previous patient and took the next one, turning to call the next patient. As he turned, he bumped into someone.
"Nurse Nichol, watch where you are going! There are people trying to work here," Crane said angrily.
"Sorry, doctor Crane," Nancy mumbled before continuing on her way towards the doctor's lounge where she had left her coat, unaware of the three people watching her wide-eyed from behind, their mouths open in surprise.
"Did…did…did Nancy just apologise to Oliver?" Derek asked shocked.
"I believe she did. And she didn't even make a sarcastic comment," Tippy added, recovering from her speechlessness. Clint, who had arrived at the front desk at the same moment as the nurse, watched Nancy disappear around the corner. Coming to stand next to doctor Hebert, he seemed to consider something.
"Clint, did you just see that?" Derek started, upon seeing his younger colleague.
"Yeah, I did," Clint nodded, coming to a decision. "Tippy, can you file this chart, while I grab myself another patient?" he asked, handing the file to the receptionist. Tippy looked confused. "Of course, doctor Cassidy, but… wasn't this your last patient before your lunch break?" she asked, looking up from the file, only to discover she was talking to the second retreating back in as many minutes. Crane rolled his eyes in exasperation, called his patient, and led the way to the exam room he was using. Derek gave Tippy a meaningful look.
"Oh…you mean…? Oh!" Finally Tippy caught on as well.
TBC