23

are we with Avery?" Hunt asked the Attending's gathered in the conference room, the whiteboard full of the fifth year residents names and their choices of fellowship opportunities.

"Has offers from USC, Penn, Tulane, and Emory." Mark called back, twirling the pen in his fingers. "Tulane and Emory are in love. They want him bad."

"Alright." Hunt sighed, scribbling down the choices. He then wrote '', throwing a curious look over his shoulder at Mark and Derek. "Either of you know where Eleanora is going?"

"My contacts at Hopkins and Harvard are telling me that they want her bad. Especially Hopkins." Derek sighed, glancing across the table at his best friend. "Any word on a choice?"

"She's bad with decisions outside of the OR, we all know this." Mark told them. He glanced over at Hunt, nodding. "But I'd say it's going to be a close call between Seattle and Hopkins. She might follow Derek if he goes to Harvard, but Hopkins is calling her name."

"And Grey?" Hunt asked, looking over at Derek.

"Uh, still between Boston and Seattle."

Hunt huffs, looking between the two men. "If I'm going to lose two of my most talented residents the Heads of two of my departments, I'd love a decision sooner than later."

"You and me both, Hunt." Derek agreed, flipping the page of his folder. Mark shrugged when eyes went to him and he leaned back.

"I told her it's her decision and I'll follow her wherever she goes. There's a practice in Baltimore that wants me on their staff, and I have a nice job here in Seattle. Whatever my wife wants for her career, my wife gets."

______

danced along to the upbeat music blasting throughout Meredith's house, the entirety of the fifth year residents drinking themselves stupid in celebration.

Eleanora took the shot of tequila Meredith offered her and downed it, scrunching her nose up a bit as the burning sensation travelled down her throat. She shook her head, laughing as Meredith then handed her a cup of beer.

"We passed our Boards!" Meredith yelled out to Cristina and Eleanora happily, a big smile on her face. Cristina laughed, yelling back in Meredith's face.

"We killed the Boards!"

"We made those Boards our bitch!" Eleanora screamed, the three jumping and dancing on top of the couch. Eleanora took a big drink of her beer, throwing one arm up and swinging it side to side, laughing as Cristina hip bumps her.

The three are separated when April runs over and jumps between them, absolutely wasted. Eleanora is a bit drunk, sure, but April is completely

Cristina, Meredith, and Eleanora all share worried looks before slowly going back to dancing with her. They all start banging their heads, laughter finally coming from all of their mouths.

Cristina's cellphone rings and she pushes at Meredith to turn the music off. Meredith stumbled a bit on the cushions of the couch when she goes to grab it, her and Eleanora hopping off of it as Cristina does.

Once Meredith turns the stereo off, Cristina answers the phone, pushing stray curls out of her face. Eleanora fans her, a grin on her lips.

"This is Dr. Yang." Cristina answers, panting a bit. "Mhm. Well, that does certainly give me a lot to think about. Thank you so much for calling." Cristina hung up a moment after, the room tense and quiet as Eleanora continued to fan her with wide, curious eyes.

Cristina smirks, turning to yell out into the crowd of her classmates. "Mayo wants to give me a research lab! Guess who's back in the running?!"

Cheers let out across the room, Eleanora being the loudest as she attaches herself to Cristina's back in a hug. Meredith turns the music back on and everyone starts to dance again, Cristina turning and shaking her chest at Eleanora, who does it back with a laugh.

"Whoo! Yeah, Cristina!" April cheered loudly, pointing down at her from her spot on the couch. Cristina snorts, nodding her head to the beat as she sends April a wink.

"April!"

The sound of two cellphones ringing grab everyone else's attention, Meredith quickly turning off the music again. Eleanora fumbles a bit for hers as April jumps off of the couch to grab her own, the two of them answering it at the same time.

Meredith, Cristina, and Alex focus on Eleanora while Jackson focuses on April, the other residents going between the two. Eleanora takes a deep breath before answering, putting on her cheery voice.

"This is Dr. Amedeo-Sloan!" At the words being spoken to her, her eyes brighten and grin grows wider. "Really? Wow, that...that is so generous and amazing of you! This will definitely be factoring into the decision I will be making in the next few days. I will contact you once I've made my final decision. Mhm. Mhm, yes! No, you have an amazing day!"

Eleanora hangs up, her excited eyes moving to April first, whose face is upset as she stares down at her phone. "UVA wants a Board-Certified Surgeon so they pulled my offer."

The room grew a bit dimmer, Eleanora's face falling a bit. She gulped, April looking over at her. "What about you, Ella?"

"No, Apes, I-I don't-"

"No, it's fine!" April snapped, tossing her phone down. "Go ahead and tell us the good news! It won't upset me."

"Um," Eleanora hesitates, but she then pulls on a smile and looks at her other friends, "Colombia offered me a fully employed research lab with almost unlimited funding."

April ran back to the couch and jumped up, nodding her head. "Okay! Music, let's get the music started again in celebration for Ella!"

When nobody moved or said anything, April's eyes grew harder and voice snappier. "I said music, come on! Ella deserves to dance!"