𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔢 (𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔬𝔫𝔢)

ᴀ/ɴ - ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ sᴏ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ғᴏʀ ʙᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴘᴀᴛɪᴇɴᴛ. ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛ ᴍᴇᴀɴs ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ sᴇᴇ ᴍʏ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ, ɪ ᴛᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴀ ʙɪᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏғ sᴄᴀʀʏ sᴛᴜғғ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ, ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ʀᴇᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ʙᴇᴅʀᴏᴏᴍ, sᴏ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴏ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ, ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ. ɪ ᴀᴍ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴀs ᴏғᴛᴇɴ ᴀs ɪ ᴄᴀɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ'ᴍ sᴏ sᴏʀʀʏ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ᴛʜɪs ʟᴏɴɢ.

ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ᴛʜɪs ᴜᴘ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏ ʟɪᴍɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ғɪɴɪsʜᴇᴅ. sᴏ.

ᴏʀɪɢɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ɪ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ᴀ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴇᴘɪsᴏᴅᴇ, ɪ ᴡᴀs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴋɪᴘ ɪᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ, ɪ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇᴅ ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜ ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡᴀs ᴛᴡᴏ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜs ᴀɢᴏ, sᴏ ᴏʙᴠɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴏᴜᴛ.

ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ, ɪ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ. sᴛᴀʏ sᴀғᴇ. ❥

Denial. Anger.
Bargaining. Depression.
Acceptance.

You're probably familiar with them.

I stood from my bed, pulling myself from my broken sleep and towards the kitchen to the coffee maker. Grabbing the steaming liquid from the pot, I cooled it with creamer and chugged it desperately, humming at the sound of my phone.

The stages of grief.

Usually, it'll run its course.

Denial. Anger. Bargaining.
Depression. Anger. Bargaining. Anger.
Depression. Anger. Depression.
Acceptance.

Usually, you'll get there in the end.
The goal, acceptance.

"Melanie?" I questioned. "Why are you up so early?"

"Happy birthday!" She sang.

"What? No. That's still...weeks away," I turned my head to the calendar pinned to the wall, my mouth forming an 'o'.

"It is your birthday?...A thank you would've been nice."

  I smiled to myself. "Sorry...Thank you...I guess I kind of forgot...or lost track of time."

That's if, you get past the denial.

"How do you forget your birthday? You're always on top of things. Are you alright?"

  Holding my phone with one hand and grabbing my coffee cup with the other, my eyes wandered to a white stained wood picture frame that held a photo of George and I.

"Yeah, I think it's probably just the merger. I'm all right."

  Autumn and George laid on the hard wood floor, surrounded by colored balloons and the confetti that everyone would eventually be fighting over who would be cleaning up.

  Autumn turned her head to face George and a giggle escaped her dry mouth. "I'm not cleaning this up."

"I know...Happy birthday, Autumn."

"Thank you, George."

Rushing to catch up to the group of residents, I gently squeezed past Jackson and Charles and trotted next to Alex.

"The three of you know what this big meeting's all about?" Jackson directed his question towards the original Seattle Grace doctors.

"I heard there was a coup," the Mercy Wester from behind me spoke.

"Webber's out. Shepherd's in. Is that true?"

"We know what you know," Lexie told.

"Bull. All right? Your sister's married to the guy. You expect me to believe you don't know what's going on?" Jackson pried.

"Don't you have your own loser friends to talk to?"

I scowled.

"I also heard Shepherd plans to clean house. Maybe he'll start with you," Charles retorted.

"Dude, I'm safe. The guy is my roommate. You're the ones who should watch your backs."

"Why? What do you know?"

"Simple math-Shepherd hates the merger, you're from Mercy West, you're toast."

"Derek's not gonna fire people just because they're from Mercy West. He's not like that. He's loyal and fair."

"Yeah, tell that to Webber."

As we made our way to the end of the hall, the six of us dispersed though I was pulled back into the hall.

"Yes?" I looked up at Alex with a bright smile.

With a huff, Alex pulled me into a quick but meaningful hug. "Happy Birthday."

I tilted my head with a smile.

"Quick before someone sees," Alex grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the where the entire morning staff would be gathered.

"Oh yeah, I can already see the headlines. This just in: Alex Karev, does in fact, have a heart," I giggled.

Alex and I excused ourselves past the other staff, making our way over to Cristina, Callie, Arizona and Owen, along with the other residents.

"What the hell is he wearing?" Callie asked quietly, through her teeth.

"He looks good. Chiefly."

"Huh," I let out, my head tilted.

"He looks like an undertaker."

"I promised him we'd clap," Arizona told.

"Oh, now?"

"No."

The room quieted as the former attending before us cleared his throat and began shuffling his flash cards in between his fingers.

"I know you're busy, so I'll try to make this quick. As you may have heard, I have been appointed the new interim chief of surgery. It's my personal goal to make this transition as smooth as possible. I know we've had a rocky few months."

"Here it comes," Alex alluded, earning a not so friendly nudge.

"Mistakes have been made," Derek continued.

"He's talking about the merger."

"Shh."

"I intend to right those wrongs, and, uh..."

"Told you."

"Bring this hospital back to its former glory."

"We are screwed," Jackson finally accepted his fate.

"Yes, you are, sucker," Alex replied, being elbowed a second time, only harder.

"And, um..."

"Hey look," Alex tapped his wrist against mine, to turn my attention to Dr. Webber and the board's chairman making their way to the steps where Shepherd was making his speech.

"What I meant...uh, by that is—what I'm trying to say is, I want to thank you for your support in advance. Uh, that's all. Okay, let's get back to work."

There was a moment of silence as Dr. Webber walked off and the silence only broke with Arizona's
clapping.

With a sigh, I brought my hands together, nudging Alex to do the same and soon everyone around us was clapping for the new chief.

"Okay, that's enough," I brought my hands down to my side and left the crowded area.

  Autumn's eyes scanned the lit room, desperate for a friendly face to strike up a conversation with. The confidence was there, but so was the intimidation, and not to judge a book by its cover or anything, but these people looked and sounded like total

"assholes," Autumn sighed under her breath as she turned on her stiletto.

A clear liquid came flying at her new dress, along with the culprit in front of her, who was doing his best to regain his balance after the encounter.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry!" He worried.

"No, that was my bad. Are you alright?" Autumn questioned with a smile, looking up at the friendliest face she had seen all night.

"Me? What about your dress?" He exclaimed.

Autumn looked around frantically, taking a large step over to a table beside them to grab a large stack of napkins that sat next to an unoccupied plate of hors d'oeuvres. She stuffed a couple in her bra and used the rest to sop up the obvious spots on the fabric.

"See. We're all good," she smiled. "What is it? Vodka?" She breathed in the scent of the drink that now scattered her dress.

"Sprite," he replied awkwardly.

"Either you're just trying to bring your A game or you don't drink."

"The first one," he gave her a shy smile.

The future intern held out her hand. "Autumn Brady."

"George...O'Malley."

"What's the yelling all about?" I questioned, treading over to the reception desk outside of the 2C conference room where Lexie stood, pretending to read charts.

"The chief...well...Dr. Webber and-"

"Derek," I finished with a sigh.

"Mmhm," Lexie looked towards me with a smile. "Happy Birthday," she sang.

I gave her my best smile. "You remembered."

"Of course I remembered."

"No!" The audible outburst from Derek caused a couple of people to scatter but most stayed for the finale as Meredith rushed into the conference room.

It didn't take much convincing for Derek to glance around and leave the room. "Get back to work."

"Okay, okay," Autumn shushed the cleanly shaved intern that sat at the kitchen table in front of her. "Watch."

"Izzie is the baker in this household," George took a sip of his orange juice.

"Okay, number one, I don't live here. And number two, I'm not baking, I'm cooking...pancakes," she gave him a bright smile. "Now watch."

Autumn picked up the frying pan from the stove top and swayed it in front of her before flicking her wrist upward. A gasp escaped her glossed lips as the cake flipped in the air and landed back in the pan.

"Oh my god! I did it!" She coughed out a laugh as George gave her a round of applause.

"Thank you, thank you," she bowed. "Okay hold out your plate."

"Autumn-"

"George-"

George complied, holding his plate out in front of him, getting ready to catch his breakfast, midair. Autumn's aggressive flick sent the pancake that took her fifteen minutes to perfect towards the wall.

"Okay, fine, I won't throw the next one."

"So what's the plan for tonight? Joe's?" A voice inquired from behind me.

"Huh?" I shook my head as Alex caught up to me. "Oh, um, I'm not sure. I guess it depends on how late it is after I leave here," I excused.

  Alex raised an eyebrow and nodded as we reached the hall, grouping up with Cristina who had a waddling limp.

  Chomping on his apple, Alex quizzed. "Why are you walking like that?"

"Uh, I got a burn?"

"Where?" Alex and I replied in unison.

"Go away."

"Well, we're all doctors. No need to be embarrassed," Alex probed.

  Cristina turned around quickly. "I'm not embarrassed. I'm just waiting for Meredith. Now...go away."

  Looking up from the floor, I joined in. "Cristina, we're friends. Just show me your junk and get it over with. Look at it this way, it can be my birthday present."

  Cristina held up her finger. "I got you a card, don't push it."

"I let you treat my tick. Come on," Alex begged.

"This is not a tick."

"Today sucks," Lexie stated bluntly, appearing from behind us and falling flat on the hospital bed in front of us. "Mark sucks."

"Yeah. Yang got burns on her girl parts," Alex pointed downward.

"Oh-"

"Oh, wow," Lexie shot up.

"I do not—it's not on—on my girl parts."

"Well, then they're on her ass. Look how she's walking," Alex gestured as Cristina limped a few steps before spinning around.

"Don't you three have patients?"

  I held up my hands innocently.

"How did you get burns on your ass?" Lexie tilted her head with furrowed brows.

"You paged?" Meredith hummed from beside me, earning a sigh of relief from Cristina.

"Mer, come," Cristina handed Meredith the medical supplies and grabbed her hand as they made their way behind the closed privacy curtain. "The rest of you, bye."

Alex and Lexie quickly followed behind them as I shook my head. "Okay, I'm out."

  Autumn stared at George with a concerned look as they sat in the empty OR gallery.

"George?" She tilted her head. "Is everything alright? What happened?"

"Nothing. Well...something...it's-it's nothing bad," George stuttered.

"Okay,"  the blonde nodded, less worried than she was before.

"I enlisted...in the army...to become a trauma surgeon. I leave tomorrow."

  Autumn's breath hitched, her body filled with worry and sadness, though she couldn't help but be excited and proud of her friend.

  Autumn gave him a wide smile before replying. "I'm so proud of you George."

"You're not mad?"

  Autumn shook her head, mumbling a "no".

"I'm scared...But if this is what you want...is it?" She paused. "Are you sure this is what you want to do? Did you think it over?"

"I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life," he nodded, confidently.

  Autumn pulled George into a hug, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"Be carful, okay?"

"I will."

"I'm gonna' miss you."

  George planted a kiss on the top of Autumn's head before leaning his back into her.

"YOU'RE GOING TO BE ONE HELL OF A TRAUMA SURGEON."