Do We Have A Future?

1. Autumn

Dr. Rebecca Lao and Dr. Ethan Ramsey had been openly dating for the last eight months after nearly two years of mutual restrained pining, longing glances and stolen moments of push and pull. They fell into a comfortable routine with Becca staying at his luxury Boston apartment most nights.

This evening the couple decided to break routine since, in a rare occasion they were both on the early shift. So, they got moderately dressed up to have dinner at Alessandro's Bistro.

Becca sat across the table, ogling the sight of her boyfriend in a white button down and navy sports jacket that complimented his ocean blue eyes. God, he's gorgeous. How did I get so lucky?

"Remember the first day of rounds?" Becca mused, watching his brows furrow as he wondered where she was going with this. "The other interns almost shat themselves because you knew my name," Ethan couldn't help but chuckle at the reminder of all those timid interns; while they all did their best not to frustrate the world renowned diagnostician, Becca made it her mission to frustrate, annoy, pester and impress him from the moment she bought him a chocolate bar and told him to 'treat himself'. Becca was a challenge to him, a damn intriguing one at that. Never in his wildest dreams would either of them have predicted that the colossal pain in his ass intern would become his best attribute a year later.

"You were such a jerk," she giggled.

Ethan rolled his eyes. As a doctor Ethan Ramsey is strict and demanding of the medical professionals in his care. He needs everyone to be working at their full potential as to try not to kill any patients that open up strings of lawsuits. The only memory Ethan really had of the first day he led rounds her first year of residency was of Dr. Lao bailing out another poor excuse of a physician.

"And you bailed Olsen out and he screwed you over in the end," he lamented.

The two of them sat there at their table twirling their pasta in awkward silence, a bit hurt by the memory. Becca by the betrayal and sabotage of someone she called a close friend, while Ethan remembered how he wasn't able to be there for her in the ways she needed during that challenging time because of his pride and personal ethics. I should have fought harder for her. He'd never forgive himself for letting all those months of what could have been slip through his fingertips and he'd spend the rest of his life making it up to her. Although Dr. Ethan Ramsey would never admit it out loud for fear of retribution, Dr. Rebecca Lao is the only woman, nay person for him. He'd do anything for her.

Rebecca had something on her mind, something important and she needed to know where Ethan stood on the matter. She patted the pasta sauce from the corners of her lips with her napkin before asking innocently, "What would have happened if I lost my license?"

Unexpectedly, the air in the room changed completely. What once was a lighthearted and vibrant atmosphere became stale and poignant. Ethan couldn't put his finger on what prompted the unexpected questioning and why the air around them stopped circulating. It seemed as if time was standing still.

When he didn't respond Becca prompted, "I know I would have to find a medical writer or assistant job somewhere to pay off these loans... But I really mean with us. What would have happened?"

"I - I don't know," he stuttered, placing his fork down on the table. It was the god, honest truth. Ethan Ramsey had never seriously considered what would have become if Rebecca lost her ethics hearing and medical license. There wasn't a doubt in his mind during that trying time; he knew she would pull through. Rebecca Lao was meant to be a doctor.

Ethan flagged the waiter over and paid the bill. As he held Becca's coat open so she could slip her arms through easily she asked,

"Humor me."