Visit to a friend: Chapter 01, grey's anatomy fanfic

Wisteria_00

Characters

Teddy Altman/Cass Beckman, Teddy Altman (Grey's Anatomy), Cass Beckman

Summary

Teddy decides to visit Cass to invite her to the presentation.However, things don't go as planned.

Note

The story has been translated using chat gpt, as English is not my native language. So, I apologize for any mistakes.For anyone interested, these stories will be published in Italian on "efp Fanfiction" (an Italian website).You can comment in your native language; my phone will automatically translate for me.Happy reading 🤍

Chapter 01

April 20, 2025 at 03:09 AM

Teddy isn’t really sure about what she’s doing. Actually, she’s not sure at all. Not even a little. Not even remotely. And yet, she’s doing it.
She’s going to see Cass at work. The reason? She doesn’t know. She doesn’t remember. Or maybe she just doesn’t want to admit it to herself.
To offer her a job with them? Again? No, that wasn’t it.
To give her the spa voucher? Maybe, but she doesn’t have it with her, so that can’t be it.
To invite her to tomorrow’s presentation? Probably, but she’s not sure. She doesn’t remember. But that’s what she’ll do. After all, Cass prepared everything for her—it’s the least she can do.

Teddy lightly bites her lower lip at the memory. Cass, sitting behind her desk, absorbed in work that wasn’t even her responsibility. Work she was doing to help Teddy, on her day off. Work no one had asked her to do—well, more or less—but that Teddy desperately needed.

Cass doesn’t know. And she must never find out. No one must ever know. But that day, between one task and another, Teddy had deliberately passed by the office. She told herself it was just to check, to make sure Cass didn’t need help. But the truth? She had walked by just to see her, without being noticed by anyone. Not by the independent agents. Not by Cass. Not by Owen.
And then she had run away.
Just like she had after that kiss Cass had stolen from her that day at the pub.
One of the most carefree moments of her life, even though she couldn’t remember the last time she had felt that way. A kiss that, however brief, had completely overwhelmed her. Beautiful. Spontaneous. Unforgettable. Despite barely knowing each other. Despite everything.

Teddy takes a deep breath, stopping in front of the office door.
You're just visiting a friend. She repeats it like a mantra, trying to summon courage.

God, she’s faced so much in life. She’s seen people die, she’s fought in a war, she’s endured the scornful looks of soldiers who refused to accept a woman among their ranks. She’s survived all of that. And now she’s afraid to knock on Cass’s door?
On a friend.
A friend who kissed her.
A friend she desperately wants to kiss again.
A friend for whom she put on a nice dress, wore high heels... Oh god, she sounds like a schoolgirl with a crush. Her heart pounds in her chest, her hands sweat. She feels ridiculous.

And yet, before she even realizes it, her fingers are knocking against the wood.
Her breath catches in her throat as she waits for a response. Seconds stretch endlessly.

“Yes?” A soft, slightly hoarse voice calls from the other side of the door. Cass’s voice. Teddy recognizes it instantly, despite the barrier between them.

“It’s Teddy. Can I come in?” Her voice comes out steady. Surprisingly steady. She silently thanks heaven for that.

Silence again. Cass is hesitating.

What if she’s busy? What if she’s not happy to see her?

“Come in.”

Teddy lets out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding as she opens the door and peeks into the room. Her heart is pounding too fast in her chest, but a spontaneous smile appears on her lips as she scans the office, searching for the redhead. She spots her immediately.
Cass is standing with her back turned, engrossed in reading some papers, completely absorbed in work. Her posture is rigid, her shoulders slightly tense.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

Cass doesn’t turn around. She doesn’t even lift her gaze. “I’m a bit busy. What is it?” Her tone is flat, distant.

Teddy bites the inside of her cheek, trying to ignore the small shiver of uncertainty that runs down her spine. “I can come back another time, or if you need help, I could lend a hand.” She shrugs slightly, trying to lighten the mood. “That way, I can repay you for yesterday.” She smiles, genuinely. She would really love to return the favor.

“No, just say it.” Cass answers quickly, her tone a little harsher than usual as she sets down some documents. But she doesn’t turn around. She doesn’t even look at her.

Teddy swallows nervously. Her eyes follow Cass’s every movement as she picks up more files and moves between the office shelves, always keeping her back to her.

She seems different. But Teddy pretends not to notice.
The thought that Cass doesn’t want to see her flickers through her mind, but she quickly pushes it away.
She’s just busy. If she didn’t want to see her, she wouldn’t have let her in.

“Well?” Cass prompts, almost impatiently. That’s strange, too.

Teddy clears her throat. She needs to be quick. Even though this isn’t how she had imagined inviting her to the presentation. She had pictured a calmer moment—maybe sitting on a couch, a coffee in their hands, something to help hide her nerves. But now that plan is gone. Her nerves are sky-high, and Cass seems distant, tense. It feels like she doesn’t want her there.

“I... yeah. I came by to tell you something. Or rather, to ask you something.” She pauses, waiting for Cass to finally turn around. To meet her gaze.

But she doesn’t.
She keeps moving between the shelves, flipping through documents, as if Teddy weren’t even there.

“Tomorrow is the presentation. The one you worked on yesterday, and—” Teddy stops. Something halts her.

Cass.
Her back, her posture, the way she moves.
Something is different.
There’s no usual confidence in her movements, none of the calm that always put Teddy at ease.
Her stomach tightens.

“Are you okay?” she asks, her voice softer, her brows slightly furrowed.

Cass doesn’t stop sorting the papers. “Mm-hmm. I told you, I’m busy.”

Teddy crosses her arms over her chest, growing more anxious. “Then why won’t you look at me?”

Cass stiffens. For a second, she seems to hold her breath, then resumes moving. “I’m respecting your boundaries.” Her voice is vague, evasive.

Teddy presses her lips together. “This doesn’t feel like respect.”

Cass suddenly snaps the folder shut and, with a sharp movement, finally turns to face her. “Then I’m respecting mine.” Her voice is dry, cutting.

Teddy’s mouth falls open for a moment, caught off guard by the uncharacteristic harshness in her tone.
Then she notices something.
Cass is wearing sunglasses.
In the office.
Why?

The question flashes through her mind like lightning, momentarily distracting her. But Cass doesn’t give her time to think. “And I’d like you to do the same,” she continues. “I don’t want to talk to you. Okay?”

The words hit Teddy square in the chest, harder than she expected.

They hurt.
More than she’d like to admit. More than they should.
Her eyes instantly sting with tears, and without another word, she turns and leaves the room—before Cass can see her cry.