DISCLAIMER: Doctors and its characters are the property of the BBC. No infringement intended.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Brief context - Doctors is set in a GPs' surgery. The receptionist Ruth is currently lodging with the (seemingly kind of uptight) practice manager Julia. Zara is a very cute doctor who works there.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Risks
By Purplepapillon
Ruth fumbled for her keys, giggling as the effects of the alcohol caused her to stumble against an equally inebriated Zara. The doctor quickly stepped forward, catching her colleague in her arms, preventing her from falling against a rather large flowerpot and more than likely waking the entire neighbourhood in the process.
"Shh," Zara muttered, her voice hushed and full of warning. "You'll wake Julia if you're not careful."
"Nah," Ruth hissed back, still giggling as she finally succeeded in unlocking the door. "She sleeps like a log. It'd take an earthquake to wake her up."
Zara considered inquiring as to how exactly Ruth could be so sure of that particular piece of knowledge but decided on balance that she'd really rather not know. Her fears not entirely allayed, however, she reached out for Ruth's arm, bringing the other woman up short as she kicked off her heels and prepared to walk through the door. "Are you sure about this?" she whispered urgently. "I still think my place would be safer."
"But my place," Ruth all but growled, swinging round and taking a step forward, pinning Zara between herself and the door frame, "is a million times closer. Which means we can do this," - she leaned in, kissing the doctor slowly and seductively, tantalizingly working her tongue in and out of the other woman's mouth while her hands pushed themselves forcefully up underneath Zara's shirt - "a hell of a lot sooner."
Rendered both breathless and speechless by the kiss, Zara didn't even bother to reply, merely bending down to remove her own shoes and tiptoeing as quickly as she could up the stairs.
"But I don't see what any of this has got to do with me," Zara insisted, her voice rising as she pushed back her chair and stood up, throwing her hands out in front of her in exasperation.
"How am I expected to keep this surgery going if you're not going to be here?" Julia demanded, squaring up to the other woman.
Zara took a deep breath, employing considerable effort to speak in what she hoped was a calm and reasonable tone. "Julia, I told you last week that I would need to take tomorrow afternoon off. I have some personal business..." She trailed off as the practice manager squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed furiously at her forehead, as if trying to dispel a searing headache.
"Of course you did," Julia muttered, realisation finally dawning. "I'm so sorry Zara. I'm not thinking clearly today." She sank down onto the desk, and Zara followed suit, softening instantly at the other woman's admission of guilt.
"Is everything ok?" she asked, instantly switching into concerned doctor mode.
Julia nodded. "It will be when I've had some rest," she murmured. "I hardly got any sleep last night." She regarded Zara carefully, seemingly weighing up how much she could trust her, before leaning in and confiding in her in hushed tones. "Ruth must have brought some guy back from that club last night, because by the sounds of things, they were having the time of their lives." She winked suggestively, in case Zara hadn't quite caught her drift and paused, seeming not to notice the colour draining rapidly from the doctor's cheeks. "Seriously, I was this close to knocking on the door and telling them to stop."
Zara jumped up as if she'd been stung, then quickly began to pace the room, trying to cover her mistake. "Oh I'm sure you did the right thing," she gabbled. "I mean, imagine walking in on them, whoever... it was." Mentally taking several deep breaths, she forced herself to slow down. "I'm sure it was a one off. After all it's not like Ruth to go fishing for random guys," she finished, silently congratulating herself on her ability to avoid lying without actually giving away the truth.
Julia nodded vigorously, her face still contorted in a disgruntled frown. "I hope you're right," she muttered grimly. "Because next time..."
"Oh, there won't be a next time," Zara silently supplied as she hastily escorted Julia out of the room. "I can assure you of that."
"You. A word," Zara snapped, marching into the reception area and addressing Ruth, the second Julia had disappeared behind her own closed door and out of hearing range.
Bewildered, Ruth followed Zara as she stormed back to her office, completely ignoring a stunned looking patient, who quickly ducked out of the way as they swept past. As soon as the door had been firmly shut behind them, Zara rounded on the receptionist, addressing her in a hushed, yet angry, whisper.
"I've just had Julia in here complaining about how little sleep she got last night, because of all the noise you were making," Zara spat angrily. "Sleeps like a log? Like hell she does."
Ruth's mouth fell open. "She didn't..." she began, trailing off mid-sentence.
"No, she didn't." Zara retorted, softening despite herself as the look of utter horror on Ruth's face compelled her to laugh. "But I've assured her that you don't normally bring random guys home," - she nodded as Ruth fixed her with an incredulous look - "so next time, it's my place or nothing, ok? I am not taking that risk again."
"No problem," Ruth retorted, holding up her hands in surrender and allowing her eyes to take a long and languorous tour of the contours of Zara's body, enjoying the way in which the other woman reddened visibly under her gaze. "Your place suits me just fine."
The End