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Watching the sunrise while stretching her muscles from her fitness room at home is one thing Eve will never trade for anything else. As the sun peaks, coloring the sky in a dark orange hue then passing the light thru her floor-to-ceiling window to her skin, Eve's thoughts are slipping one after another. Breathing in and out, lengthening every fiber of her muscles strained from grueling work and morning run--listening to the loudest voice that truly matters. Every bend, twist, and turn are finesse movements honed ever since she was a little girl. Eve positions herself into a yogi squat, opening her hips and releasing her lower back when an unexpected face creeps into her mind. Villanelle. In her mind, she is sleeping peacefully, blonde hair splayed on her pillow, then she slowly opening her eyes; hazel green catching the brown ones with a small smile following immediately. A picture engraved in her mind from last night when she checks on her before she goes home. Maybe it is the sun or her thoughts, warming her up from inside-out, keeping her soul tranquil and happy.

She settles for a French toast and a cup of black coffee for her breakfast, eating on her kitchen island while randomly scrolling her news feed until a Korean restaurant ad pops up. She reminisces the time when Villanelle surprised her for lunch, it's been weeks since then and numerous things happened. Villanelle is recovering faster than expected by her physical therapist, her sleeping pattern is going back to normal, and eating as much food as she can. All in all, it's going better than she hopes for the blonde even if sometimes Villanelle complains of her headaches and muscle pain from exhaustion.

Knowing Villanelle loves food, Eve thinks maybe she can bring a home-cooked meal for the blonde. It's a simple recipe she learned from her mom and it's something that she's proud of. She proceeds on cooking the meal, dancing it out as pop music plays on her phone.

“Done! Now, it’s time to prepare for the day," she tells herself after she carefully packing the food.

4 hours later

Eve finishes her scheduled morning surgery. It’s a success but she’ll have to see more after the patient wakes up. It’s a tricky surgery, she had to be in and out as soon as possible plus the location of the aneurysm needs to be clipped at a hard angle. One of the surgeries that makes her feel alive more than ever. An overflowing passion for learning and helping other people.

As she walks inside the attendings' lounge, Bill and Jess are waiting for her.

“Good morning, Eve!” Jess greets her with such enthusiasm. 

“Good morning, guys," she walks towards the refrigerator and takes out the packed lunch she prepared earlier to reheat.

Jess and Bill are staring at her. She looks at them after she placed the food inside the microwave oven.

“Okay, do you need something? you two are acting weird," she points towards Bill and Jess while casually leaning her back on the table.

“Actually, yes. Lunch with us?” Bill says casually.

She panics for some reason she can’t explain. Lucky for her, Bill and Jess can read her like an open book.

“Yes, you can’t. That’s what we think so. You don’t have to panic, Eve.” Jess says as if it’s the obvious thing in the world.

“Besides, we saw two Korean pork stew packed lunch in the refrigerator. We just want you to tell us. Do you have something to share?” Bill adds.

Eve relaxes. She is reminded that these are her friends and there is nothing wrong with spending lunch with Villanelle. There are no rules prohibiting doctors to spend lunch with their patients. Most of all, Eve is professional. There’s nothing to worry about.

“Yes, I’m having lunch with Villanelle?” she doesn’t intend to say it like it’s a question but it just comes out like that, unsure.

“Oh, Evie. We’re happy you found a good company with someone. But isn’t it a crime bringing a home-cooked Korean pork stew for your new friend without bringing some for your best friends?” Jess teases. Bill just nods, smiles, and looks at Eve.

“Okay, I admit. I forgot to bring some extra for both of you," she’s smiling but somehow feel defeated like she’s been caught doing something bad.

Bill and Jess stand up and starts walking towards the door when Bill stops beside her.

“Enjoy lunch. Lunch with us tomorrow?” he asks and then they are gone.

Villanelle is feeling a little bit out of place and all over the same time. The stay in the hospital for months taking its toll on her. As much as she is afraid to go back to her life, she is getting bored and impatient inside her room in the hospital. She fully regains her strength but she cannot still remember most of the parts before she’s in a coma that sometimes gives her a headache. It’s one of those days, she’s not in the mood and her head is aching so bad. She’s trying to sleep when she hears a knock at the door.

“Villanelle? Can I come in?” she recognizes the voice and slowly opens her eyes.

“Sure. Come in,” She slowly sits up and looks at Eve trying to muster a smile but failing to do so.

“Is this a bad time? Are you in pain again?” Eve worries, putting the packed lunch on the movable table and rushing to the monitors to check on Villanelle.

“Hey, I’m fine. My head just hurts and I had to spend time with my dad and Irina awhile ago. Stop working. It is your lunch already?” she finally notices the packed lunch on the table.

Eve stops hovering over the monitors and looks at her.

“Yes, I brought some pork kimchi jjigae for lunch but it’s okay if you want to rest first. I can eat at the lounge and leave yours on the table for later,” she walks towards the table, designating the food.

“Nope. Bring it here, I want to eat with you.”

Eve looks at her again and she can see the excitement in her eyes.

“Are you sure? It’s fine, V. I can eat outside.”

She didn’t call her V before and Villanelle’s heart seems to like the sound of it from Eve’s mouth. She smiles from ear-to-ear and replies, “Do you want me to go there and move the table myself?”

Eve does not protest anymore and moves the table towards her. She prepares the lunch and hands it to her, then proceeds to eat her lunch in her usual spot on the bedside chair.

“Did you made this?”

“Hmm. Yes. Is it bad?”

“Tastes good, Eve," Villanelle makes a show of eating a spoonful, humming at the taste

“Is everything acting to you? You can tell me if it’s bad you know. I can take it," Eve laughs and rolls her eyes

“No, Eve. It tastes good. Thank you for the lunch," she tells her in a very serious tone.

“No, thank you,” Eve replies.

They stare at each other for a moment--communicating with their eyes. An understanding rooted in an undeniable immediate connection with each other. It's only been weeks since she was greeted back to life with the brunette sleeping on her bedside, but Eve quickly becomes her favorite person. Eve is the one she hopes to see every day, the one she cannot get enough of, and the one that makes her look forward to what tomorrow holds because Eve is in it.

Villanelle is in and out of sleep for the rest of the day. Pain relievers make her drowsy and sleepy. Eve heads towards the gallery to observe Hugo. When she arrives, Bill and Jess already saved a seat for her in between them at the front row.

“Thank you for saving a seat for me,” she hands each of them a bag of chips.

“Thanks,” They reply in unison.

“Do you think I have to rush downstairs in the middle of his surgery?”

“I think he’s ready. She’s one of yours anyway. You won’t pick him if he can’t do it,” Bill answers.

“Nope. Not on me. You guys outvoted me, I chose Elena,” she whispers to Bill because there are interns as well in the gallery.

“Stop it. He can do it. The kid has it,” Jess says.

Hugo starts his surgery. He is shaky at first and unsure of where to start; it’s normal for the first time commanding a whole OR on your own. The crucial part is how he will overcome his fears and doubts. Gladly, he shifts into his zone when he thinks of the steps throughout the surgery. He finished it without any help even though his hands were shaking at the last sutures. People from the gallery gives him around of applause. It’s an important thing when their interns start commanding an OR and finishing their surgeries all by themselves. It’s like slowly letting them go to ride their bike without any training wheels or assistance to catch them if they fall. It takes guts to be responsible for someone else’s life. The staff makes sure that their interns gain that confidence after their internship because if they don’t, maybe surgery is not for them after all.

Eve congratulates Hugo for a job well done and starts her afternoon rounds with them. After several minutes of checking every patient, there’s only one left. They head towards the blonde’s room but she stops the moment she sees an unfamiliar face. A beautiful woman is sitting beside Villanelle’s bed while the blonde is sleeping. She’s slowly caressing Villanelle’s right hand. After a few moments, the woman leans forward to lightly kiss her on the forehead, careful not to wake her up. She closes her eyes as she kisses her, refusing to lean back immediately.

“Dr. Park, are we going inside?” Elena asks.

“No, let’s give them privacy. I’ll just check her chart myself and update the family after. Finish all of your other responsibilities and go home or get drunk. Do whatever you do on a Friday night. Celebrate this little victory of your group. It’s only the start,” she says plainly. If her mood changes, she hides it well behind her professional voice.

“Thank you for today, Dr. Park.” They say in unison.

“Job well done, doctors.”

She proceeds to the nurses' station, retrieving the blonde's chart. Notes from all of her doctors suggesting the blonde is stronger than she ever was, clearing Villanelle to go home. Eve has no reason to keep Villanelle here anymore, her headaches will be treated with some medicine if necessary but besides that, she’s clear to go home. She heads to the attending’s lounge to rest for a little and plan for her surgeries in the upcoming days. Konstantin usually comes around after six and she’ll wait for him to relay the message.

“Why do I feel this way? Have I crossed the line? No, it can’t be. We’re just friends and I’ll just have to keep it that way. She’s going home anyway. No reason to overthink," she's asking herself because something is off within her. She knows that deep down inside her, it’s because of the blonde.