Ø2

against Cristina in the back of the elevator, Eleanora was flipping through a newly published Neuro article when Derek stepped into the elevator.

Her eyes advert to Meredith, anxiety creeping up in her chest. The two had been broken up for a week now and Meredith hadn't spoken about him.

Eleanora gave Derek a smile, greeting him nonetheless. "Morning, Dr. Shepherd."

Derek nodded at her, his eyes on Meredith as he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her. "Morning, Ella."

Eleanora looked up at Cristina, who just shrugged, focusing on her own book she was reading. It was silent for a few seconds before Meredith spoke up.

"Hey." She said to Derek, Derek looking around her with amused eyes.

"Hey."

"How are you today?" Meredith asks, her words making both Eleanora and Cristina look up from what they were reading. Cristina raises a brow as she stares at the two, and Eleanora has her nose scrunched up in confusion.

"Good." Derek replied, his voice sounding a little too....giddy.

"Great."

The elevators doors open, and Derek and Meredith exit at the same time. Eleanora and Cristina slowly follow behind, Eleanora whispering towards her taller friend.

"Was that weird to you, or am I just imaging things?"

Cristina nodded, closing her book and putting it in her bag. "Definitely weird."

They follow behind Meredith at a distance, watching her warily. Finally, Cristina snaps, hissing at Eleanora.

"She's doing McDreamy. She's doing McDreamy and lying about it."

Eleanora's eyes widen, about to try and defend Meredith. However, she started to think about it, and finally let out a sigh, nodding her head sadly.

"She's having sex with McDreamy and she's lying about it."

"She thinks we're weak, that we're fragile. Like we can't handle it 'cause of Burke and Alex." Cristina seems angry, and Eleanora looks at her with offended eyes.

"I am not fragile because of Alex! I had my breakdown, I'm good now." Eleanora proudly states, Cristina scoffing.

"Please, you barely look at the guy and actively sneak in and out of your own house so you don't have to speak to him."

Eleanora pouted, stomping her foot slightly as the two turned to enter the residents lounge.

"I hate that you don't just play dumb and act like you know nothing."

Cristina gives her a sickly sweet smile, shoving her bag into her cubby. "I need to keep you realistic, Sunshine."

______

   is speaking to her interns by a nurses station, writing down morning rounds notes in her last patients chart. "Okay, assignments. Jefferson, you're on scut. Hanson, you are down in the pit with one of Karev's interns. And Galley, you're with me." She gives them all a smile, Jefferson and Hanson running off to their assignments.

Galley, also known as Molly, gives Eleanora a small smile in return. "What do we have today, Dr. A?"

Eleanora hands a nurse the chart she finished, turning fully to Molly. "We're scrubbing in with Dr. Shepherds aneurysm in two hours, and after that we're just handling some post-ops."

Eleanora heard feet running, her eyes falling on Meredith and Alex as they darted down the hall. She furrowed her brows, calling after them in concern. "What's going on?"

Meredith turns to look at Eleanora, her eyes slightly widened. "Really Old Guy is awake."

Eleanora's jaw drops, tearing her eyes away from the two to focus back on Molly. Molly still looks confused, and Eleanora speaks to her as she pushes off the desk to follow after her friends.

"Um, go to Room 304 and make sure Ms. Frankhauser was given her meds and ate after, and then go and read up on clipping an aneurysm. I'll page you when it's time to bring the patient to pre-op."

Eleanora starts jogging backwards, continuing her conversation with Molly. "And if you have any questions or problems, don't-"

"Don't be afraid to page you, I know." Molly interrupts, giving her a thumbs up. "I'll handle Ms. Frankhauser and read my butt off, Dr. A. Promise!"

Eleanora laughed, but felt a little proud with the knowledge that her interns know her rules and how she them to page her, how she to help them.

She caught up with Alex and Meredith, a little breathless. She loved her friends, but they were all freakishly tall compared to her and took way bigger steps. Catching up with them would always be a workout.

"How do you guys know he's awake?" Eleanora asks, focusing mostly on Meredith. She could be near Alex at work, sure. But her heart still hurt when she looked at him or spoke to him, so she tried to keep it to a minimum.

Of course, Alex answered the question, the three of them speed-walking to the room they normally ate their lunch in. "We overheard Tyler talking about it."

Eleanora let out a small 'ooo', nodding to herself. "Reliable source."

The three slowed down when they reached the room, finding Izzie and her interns talking to Really Old Guy. Eleanora smiled at the sight of the man awake.

"Hey, I just heard." Meredith called, giving Really Old Guy a warm smile. "Welcome back."

Alex pushes past the two women in the doorway, peering in the room with raised brows. "Is it true? Really old guy woke up?"