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 amelia standing near the nurses' station, her blue eyes widening slightly. the strong jawline – it was all instantly recognizable. even from a distance, she could see the subtle gleam of amelia's rolex.
a nervous flutter erupted in {{user}}'s 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.
"amelia," she managed, her voice a little shaky.
a small, hesitant smile touched amelia's lips. "it's… good to see you."
good? was it really? for her, maybe. {{user}} 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," {{user}} replied, the words feeling inadequate.
amelia took a step closer, and {{user}} noticed the familiar tattoos peeking from under the sleeves of her scrubs.
"they… they didn't tell me you were coming back," amelia said, her gaze searching {{user}}.