12

sneaks into the house, softly closing the door behind her. She lets out a breath of relief when it doesn't creak or slam, nodding to herself.

She had stayed at Mark's hotel room last night, even though she had promised Mer she would come home. She had been practically living there with him ever since they went "official" a week or so ago, only coming back to her house to grab her things when she ran out.

But Derek had moved in a few days ago, and apparently was badgering Meredith to tell him where exactly Eleanora had been staying. So, just like that, Eleanora promised to end Meredith's suffering by coming home last night to make some sort of dinner. Only........she , kind of. When Meredith asks, she argue that it was completely Mark's fault, because it was. Mostly.

Eleanora ran her fingers through her hair, slightly stressed. She turned around, jumping and letting out a scream when she found Derek with a hammer standing a little ways in front of her.

"Derek Shepherd, what are you doing?" She squeaked out, holding a hand over her heart to try and calm herself down.

Derek gave a grin, looking down at the hammer with slight pride. "I am redecorating the study. Found out that one of the bookshelves have a squeaky shelf and need to fix it. I'm going to make it a library once you all move out."

Derek then entered the study, humming quietly to himself. Eleanora raised a single, questioning brow as she watched him disappear, slowly walking to watch him through the doorway.

He turned to her, pointing at her with the hammer. His face looked stern and quite honestly reminded Eleanora of Enzo. It was all 'protective big brother means business', and Eleanora shifted under the weight of it.

"Don't think I didn't notice you weren't here last night. Meredith promised you were going to make your carbonara and I was all excited. Then, you never showed up and we ate cold pizza from the fridge."

Eleanora let out a nervous giggle, slowly backing up. With him starting to question her, her own question of 'what do you mean, when we move out?' slipped from her mind.

"I'll make it for you tonight, okay? I promise, Derek!" With that, Eleanora turned on her heels and bolted up the stairs, eyes wide and face a little flushed.

A smile slid on her lips when she realized she felt like she was 19 again, sneaking into her parents house after staying out all night with her boyfriend.

She kind of loved it.

______

   sat beside Cristina in the lecture hall, humming to the music from the headphones they were sharing as she flipped through an article.

She glanced up when Meredith sat down, giving her friend a welcoming smile. "Hey, Mer-"

"You didn't come home last night." Meredith interrupted, giving her a look. "You ditched us for dirty, nasty, McSteamy sex, and I don't know how to feel about that."

Cristina snorted, typing away on her phone. "I find it hilarious." She looked up for a moment, thinking. "You're like a teenager, and Mer and I are your mothers who feel as though we've failed in life."

Eleanora sighed, pouting as she focused back on her article. "I don't believe I made fun of you two this much for the McDreamy and Burke things. It seems wrong and just plain rude for you to do it to me."

Meredith reaches over Cristina and pat Eleanora's cheek with a playful, teasing smile. "You love us."

Eleanora giggled, shaking her head as she closed the article when she noticed the Chief step up to the podium. He was going over the new set of rules and teaching style of the hospital, which made Eleanora a little nervous.

"Listen up!" The Chief boomed, everyone growing silent. "We're busy people, so I'm going to try and be brief. I am implementing a new Teaching Protocol here at Seattle Grace. Now, some of these rules are new, and some are old and are going to be newly enforced."

Eleanora bit the inside of her cheek, looking down to fiddle with the cover of the article she was reading. The tension in the room was thick and only worsened her anxiety at the situation.

"First, second, and third year residents will no longer be allowed to de-facto specialize." Eleanora and Cristina both deflated, Eleanora pouting as Cristina scoffed. "The practice interferes with the development of a fully-rounded surgical education. No more."

"Personal relationships, personal loyalties, and personal favorites will no longer be a factor in our Training Program."

Eleanora's eyes slipped to her boyfriend, who was sitting up towards the front beside Derek. She smiled softly, focusing back on her hands as she nodded.

"Attending's, you will spread your wealth of knowledge equally among all of the residents."

Mark chuckles lowly, leaning towards Derek. "Good thing I don't spread my knowledge at all, that way nobody can cry nepotism." Derek chuckled at Mark's words, rolling his eyes.

"In addition, we will refocus our attention on Patient Communication and bedside manner. For some of us, this means learning the lost art of humanity and compassion. For others, this means learning how to treat patients becoming emotionally involved with them. This is a program. is on the Fifth floor. Let's not confuse the two."

"In addition, ." Eleanora perked up, rising her brows slightly as she listened. "Your interns reflect on you. If fail, fail. If succeed, succeed. Attending's, that goes for residents as well."

"Teach with enthusiasm. Learn with enthusiasm. We are surgeons. We cut out malignancies. Let's start at home, people."

The Chief quickly walks down, Eleanora slowly standing up and grabbing her coat. She tilts her head, looking at her friends. She had a feeling in her gut something was going to happen, or maybe it would be something after something.

"I have a feeling." Eleanora told them, making Meredith shake her head quickly.

"No, nobody says that anymore. Last time one of us said that, I almost blew up."

Cristina snorted, the three of them starting to file out to head to rounds. "You were the one who said it last time, Mer. Keep up."