13

hummed to herself as she flipped through a chart, leaning most of her body weight on the nurses station. A throat cleared behind her, and she looked up, her face brightening when she saw George.

The two of them hadn't spoken much in days, and it broke her. After George confessed his feelings and she spent time with her roommates, she made sure Mark snuck in once everyone was asleep and cried about it. Sure, she realistically knew Mark want to kill George, but they were in a serious relationship, which meant he deserved to know what George told her and he was the one she went to when she had a falling out with her best friend.

Needless to say, Mark wasn't with the information given to him.

George cleared his throat and then offers her a piece of paper. Eleanora furrowed her brows but takes it, reading over it.

A gasp leaves her lips and a smile forms, her excited eyes looking up at him. "You passed?"

George smiles softly and nods, his voice a little shaky. "I passed. I'm no longer an intern."

Eleanora sets the letter down and throws herself towards George, wrapping him in a tight hug. "Georgie, oh my god, congratulations!"

George was stiff for a minute, but slowly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back. "I couldn't have done it without your cards."

Eleanora pulled away slightly to look at him, her smile slowly fading when she realized how close they were. She didn't mind, of course, but that didn't really mean anything. George had wanted a bit of space, and she just went and ruined it with a hug.

"I-I'm sorry, George. I didn't-"

"It's fine." He interrupted, shaking his head. "I was actually coming to see you to see if you wanted to go and get some drinks?" At Eleanora's slightly nervous face, George quickly continued. "With everyone, I mean! To celebrate me becoming a resident. It'll be everybody."

Eleanora smiled, nodding her head. Her voice was soft as she spoke, turning to the chart in front of her. "I just have to finish up here and then I can, yeah. I'll meet you guys at Joe's in 15?"

"Joe's, 15 minutes. Got it."

It was quiet, and George quickly hugged her again. "I missed you, Ella."

Eleanora smiled, blinking back a few tears that had built up. "I missed you too, Georgie."

All was right again. George O'Malley and Eleanora Amedeo were together again, best friends until the end of the road. If only they knew how short that road was. Maybe then they would have hugged each other for longer.

________

turns the corner of the lobby with Cristina and Meredith, smiling as she looked at the doll Meredith brought along to work. An original Anatomy Jane, which made Eleanora a little jealous. By the time she started showing an interest in medicine and surgery, she was a little too old to be asking for dolls for Christmas.

"So my mom bought it for me when I was five." Meredith spoke, showing it off to her to best friends. Cristina snorted, shaking her head before looking up to make sure the three of them didn't run into anyone. "Kind of creepy, if you ask me, but I loved it."

However, when Cristina looked up she didn't see someone close, but rather someone farther down the hall that made her fight or flight instincts kick in.

"Run!" Cristina snapped, gripping Eleanora but the top of her arm and pulling her along as they turned around and sprinted down the hall. Eleanora let out a squeak, grabbing Meredith's arm as they ran, her taller friend stumbling slightly.

Meredith and Eleanora shared a wide eyed, concerned look before focusing back to Cristina's pale and terrified face. Cristina practically tossed them around a corner, Eleanora breathing a little heavily from the sudden workout they all just went through.

"Okay. What was all that about?" Meredith pushed out, trying to catch her breath. Eleanora nodded, leaning over slightly to rest her hands on her knees.

"I hate running."

"I just saw Owen." Cristina replied. Neither of her friends spoke up, so she huffed, smacking at Meredith's shoulder. "Major Owen Hunt. The guy who pulled the icicle out of my chest!"

"Ooohh." Eleanora nodded in recognition, looking up. "Pen Trach guy."

"I thought he was in Iraq?" Meredith asked, Cristina nodding her head furiously.

"Well, yeah, he was. But now he's here! I mean, at my hospital."

"Okay." Meredith spoke slowly, looking at Cristina with slightly concerned eyes. Eleanora straightened herself up, leaning back on the wall as she gave Cristina a curious look.

"We ran from the guy who pulled an icicle out of your chest why, exactly?"

Cristina let's out a long exhale before answering. "We kissed." Eleanora lets out a loud gasp, Meredith's eyes widening as she put a hand over her smaller friends mouth. "I mean, he kissed me. It was stupid, it was nothing. It was a stupid nothing!"

A small smirk finds its way onto Meredith's face, raising a knowing brow. "But you don't think thinks it was a stupid nothing?"