chapter fifty seven

an honest mistake.season five, episodes fifteen and sixteen.

author's note — in honor of codinghitting 1 million reads, grab a snack, settle in, and get ready for this long emotional rollercoaster!

tw: panic attacks, violence

. It was a nice day out, leaves falling from the trees and creating a pathway of oranges and reds towards the hospital doors.

Cassie reached into the bag, her head snapping up as George slapped her hand away. "What?"

"You keep taking all the good ones," George pouted, taking the chip she was originally reaching for. "See, this one has all the cheese. I keep getting stuck with the empty ones."

Cassie lightheartedly rolled her eyes, shoving the chips in his direction. "Whatever, I was done anyways." She glanced up, smiling at Lily as she approached them. "Blair!"

George looked up as well, grinning as his girlfriend waved hello. "Hi Dr. Harper," Lily said, moving to stand in front of George. "And hello to you too, handsome."

He held the bag of chips out in question. "Want a dorito?" Lily shook her head, snorting fondly at the man she'd grown to love.

"No, I'm okay. I actually have a surgery in a few minutes, but I just figured I'd stop to confirm our plans for tonight?"

"Oh, our ," George nodded slowly, trying to act nonchalant but failing miserably. "Our very normal plans, which are normal." Cassie and Lily shared a weird look, the latter laughing awkwardly as she cleared her throat.

"So, um, meet you at Joe's after our shift?"

"Yeah, yeah, Joe's. Definitely Joe's."

"Okay then," she gave George a strange look, kissing him on the cheek and heading inside. Cassie watched amusedly as George leaned back in his seat, attempting to appear normal as he stared lovingly at his retreating girlfriend.

Once he was completely sure Lily was out of hearing range, George lost all composure, turning to Cassie with a level of excitement she'd rarely seen. "Okay, I'm going to tell you something, and you have to to keep it a secret."

Cassie narrowed her eyes. "Is it a good something, or a bad something?"

"Good," he replied instantly. "Well, I hope so, at least. Depending on your reaction."

"Okay, I promise."

George scanned his surroundings, before leaning into Cassie's personal space. She copied the action, mocking him slightly but secretly invested in what made him act so strangely. He held a dramatic finger to his lips in a motion, making her roll her eyes and slap his hand away. George gave her a deadpan look, to which she returned with a gesture of .

He took a diamond ring from his pocket, mirroring Derek's actions from the day before. Cassie froze, raising a single brow in question.

"I'm going to propose," George whispered, a hesitant smile on his face as he awaited her reaction. "Tonight."

Cassie's jaw dropped to the floor.

"You—" she stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Taking the ring from his hands, she gazed down on the emerald green diamond the size of her pinky nail.

George furrowed his brows in slight concern. "Say something? Preferably, something other than , because Dr. Bailey already said that this morning, and I really don't want to go through that again."

When Cassie moved her gaze upwards, George was taken aback by the unshed tears lingering in her eyes.

"You're getting married?" she asked in a high pitched tone, despite her voice coming out as just louder than a whisper. "To Lily?"

"She has to say yes first, but yeah, that's the plan." He took the ring back, taking her hand in his own in the process. "I know you probably think I'm crazy, and that it's way too soon, but it feels right. I love her, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her." He searched her eyes, looking for a way to tell how she was feeling. "And, if you're up for it, I'd like you to be my best man. Or woman, or whatever."

Cassie's lip wobbled for a moment, before she promptly burst into tears.

"Oh, no," George shook his head rapidly. "Oh, please don't cry, don't cry!" Cassie continued bawling, making him cringe as he waved uncomfortably to the people passing by. "I'm sorry! You know what? Nevermind, it was a bad idea anyways! Okay?" Cassie continued to sob. "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry?" Cassie repeated through a fit of tears. "Why are you sorry?"

"I-I made you cry."

Cassie laughed through a choked sob, throwing her arms around his shoulders and hugging him tightly. "I'm going to be a best man!" she cheered, her tears falling onto his scrub top. "Everyone's getting married! This is like, the best week ever!" She pulled away, an excited grin on her face. "Oh my god, I need to go buy a tux! Okay, what are you thinking, black or red? Ooh, maybe purple!"

A soft smile grew on George's face as he pulled her into another hug, digging his head into her shoulder. "God, you have no idea how much I love you."

Cassie shook her head, thinking there was no possible way that George loved her more than she loved him.

"I think I have some idea."

The moment was cut short when Cassie's pager went off. As she checked it, a deep frown grew on her face. She looked back to George apologetically, before wordlessly rushing into the building.