13

is a distaster!" Meredith whispered to her friend, pouring everyones drinks. Izzie had rounded up everyone after dinner and shoved them in the living room, trying to keep Alex, Anthony, and Enzo away from sharp knifes that could end up in George's neck.

"I know!" Eleanora cried out. She was face down on the counter top, her hand holding the bottle of Tequila like it was her savior. She hadn't drunk from it yet, but as soon as her parents were gone she was locking herself in the attic and drinking herself stupid.

"I knew they'd question if I had a boyfriend, that's like, what family . But...but George!? And Enzo and Dad are threatening him and my mom isn't helping!"

Meredith snorted, turning to face the girl. "Alex looks like he's going to kill George with his bare hands. Aren't you two technically "

Eleanora shot up, eyes wide. "Yes! Thank you for noticing! He throws this big fit about and, but goes and acts like one! It's confusing and is making my brain hurt!"

Eleanora laid her head on Meredith's shoulder, the taller girl just awkwardly patting her back. "Fix it, Mer. Please, for all that is holy, "

Meredith sighed, looking up through her lashes at her ceiling. "Fine, I'll fix it."

Eleanora let out a squeal, hugging her friend even tighter. "Thank you!"

_____

fix it', I did not mean kick them out!"

Eleanora had just said goodbye to her slightly disappointed family after Meredith claimed that all the interns needed to sleep if they wanted to be able to work tomorrow.

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" Meredith asked, downing her shot. "Now, I can make Izzie handle George's little breakdown and you can calm Alex down."

Eleanora let her eyes drift to George, who was curled up in the corner, staring ahead with wide, traumatized eyes. Izzie was squatting beside him, whispering to him and patting his back soothingly.

"Yeah, calm Alex down, Eleanora." His snide voice caused Eleanora to look behind her. Alex stood there, arms crossed across his chest and his entire being angry.

Eleanora let out a small sigh, turning and walking towards him. "Alex, I couldn't help what my parents thought. I told them that George and I weren't dating. What else did you want me to do?"

Alex scoffed, turning on his heels and stomping up the steps. Eleanora quickly followed suit, her voice worried. "Alex? , you have to talk to me!"

However, the man didn't speak until they reached her room. She stumbled in, and Alex reached behind her to slam the door. Even didn't want their friends listening to their argument, seeing as the last time they fought they all just glared at him.

"You should have said something about me!" He yelled. Eleanora took a small step back, raising her brows.

"What? You said you didn't want them to know-"

"God, Eleanora, that was me being stupid! I wanted your family to know we're together." He tore off his jacket and threw it at her reading chair in the corner. He started pacing as Eleanora sat on the bed.

Something else was bothering him, she was sure of it. He walked in grumpy, and the frown had never left his lips the entire dinner.

"Alex?" She questioned, but he just ignored her. He continued to pace, his words fast and harsh.

"I know I said I didn't want a relationship, okay? I know what the hell I said. And you fought for me then, why didn't you in there?"

"Alex, I-"

"And O'Malley?! You're parents know you better than anyone in the world, said that before. So if they thought you and O'Malley have something, then it has to be a little bit true! And that idea makes me feel like something is angrily scratching from inside my chest and clawing it's way up my throat."

Eleanora looked at him, her eyes softening. A hint of a smile played on her lips as she placed her hands on her lap. "You're jealous of George?"

Alex rolled his eyes, stopping his pacing with a dramatic huff and stomp. "Yeah, I'm jealous of O'Malley! Which is stupid, because a guy like me should never be jealous of a guy like George O'Malley, okay? But you are so close to him and you two are so touchy and sometimes he just looks at you with this...this stupid Bambi lovey-dovey look in his eyes and it's crap!"

"It's crap because you...you are girl! And I should be the only one to look at you like that, and I do! I'm sure if you were to ask anyone they'd say I look at you like you hung the sun and the moon! Because I look at you, Ella, and I see this beautiful, smart, and amazing woman who makes my world go round."

Eleanora felt happy tears well in her eyes, and she stood up, stepping towards him. "Yeah?"

He let out a heavy breath, nodding down at her. "Yeah. And..."

"And what, Alex?" She questioned softly, laying her hands on his chest.

He moved his hands to hold hers, his voice hard but not mean. "Want to know why I don't want to have a relationship with you?"

Eleanora felt a coldness seep into her bones, trying to step back. However, Alex didn't let her. He moved one hand to her back and pulled her closer, leaning to lay his forehead on hers.

"Because you're good." He continued, looking into her eyes. "Too sweet and innocent and I'll end up ruining you forever and darken your heart up when I fail at being what you need. But, after tonight, and seeing your family sit there and think that you and Bambi were together while I was sitting right beside you? I realized that even if I think I'll fail, I want to give it my all and try."

She felt her breath catch and she stared up at him. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying," He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "that I to be your boyfriend."

_____

   outside of her parents hotel room door seemed like the scariest thing she had ever done. And Eleanora had went through Med school at Columbia University as a small, soft-spoken and shy girl mixed in with a class of some of the best, most cutthroat and aggressive med students of all time.

She took a shaky breath, knocking three times before letting her hand fall back to her side. It took a moment, but her mother answered the door. Her face turned concerned, calling behind her for her father.

Anthony looked at his little girl, brows pulling together. "Eleanora? What is it? Why are you here so late?"

Eleanora took a shaky breath, straightening her back. "George O'Malley and I are NOT dating. We are friends, roommates, and colleagues. That means we spend almost every waking second together. That's why we are so close, not because we're dating o-or want to or whatever you said."

Heidi raised a brow. "Piccolina, you came all this way just to tell us that?"

Eleanora felt a smile pull on her lips and she shook her head. "No, not just that." She turned her head and offered her hand out.

Her parents watched as the man from dinner came around the corner and took her hand. He stopped beside her, squeezing her hand as he pulled her into his side protectively. He looked at her parents with determined eyes.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Amedeo. I'd like to formally introduce myself. I'm Dr. Alex Karev."

Eleanora looked up at him, her eyes bright. Alex looked down at her, a smile of his own pulling on his lips.

He looked back at the two, his voice sure and confident. "I'm Eleanora's boyfriend."

____