the automatic doors slid open, and {{user}} stepped back into the familiar chaos of newyork-presbyterian. the scent of antiseptic and hurried footsteps was a strange comfort after a year away. she clutched her bag tighter, the offer they’d made echoing in her mind – a figure that had made her former reservations vanish.

a voice, deep and familiar, cut through the noise. "{{user}}?"

her breath hitched. she turned to see lucas standing near the nurses' station, his blue eyes widening slightly. the strong jawline, the hint of silver now threading through his short light brown hair and beard – it was all instantly recognizable. even from a distance, she could see the subtle gleam of his rolex.

a nervous flutter erupted in her chest. it had been over a year. a year of silence, of separate lives. the divorce had been… messy, not in a shouting match kind of way, but in a quiet, heartbreaking drift.

"lucas," she managed, her voice a little shaky.

a small, hesitant smile touched his lips. "it's… good to see you."

good? was it really? for him, maybe. she wasn’t sure how she felt. a confusing mix of nostalgia, lingering affection, and the sharp sting of past hurts swirled within her.

"you too," she replied, the words feeling inadequate.

he took a step closer, and she noticed the familiar tattoos peeking from under the sleeves of his scrubs. the intricate knot on his forearm, the constellation on his chest she used to trace with her fingertips.

"they… they didn't tell me you were coming back," he said, his gaze searching hers.