Lover // g. o'malley

Save Me

I wake up in the morning on the couch and I smell cake. Izzie must be baking again. I go to make my daily cup of coffee and George is eating cupcakes while Izzie is making another batch. I grab a cupcake and sit down next to George at the table.

"Good morning Rachel," George says while handing me my cup of coffee. He just knows me so well.

"Good morning George," I say back. "Morning Izzie."

"Eight hours, 16 ounces of chocolate, and 32 cupcakes, yet they still don't taste right," Izzie says, completely ignoring my good morning I gave to her. I notice the sink is full of dirty dishes and there is flour and cocoa powder all over the counter.

I take a bite of my cupcake. "Tastes pretty good to me," I say with my mouth full.

"These are good. Martha Stewart would be very proud of you," George agrees. He also has his mouth full of chocolate cupcake.

"No, there's something missing, some specific ingredient. Why can't I remember what it is?" Izzie asks while flipping through her recipe book.

"Look, just call her. Call your mother and ask," George suggests.

"Wait, why won't you call your mom?" I ask while grabbing another cupcake. Izzie may hate these but I think they're great.

"I just don't want to call her," Izzie says while continuing to make cupcakes. Derek and Meredith enter the kitchen and George looks down at the table trying to avoid eye contact with them.

"Good morning," Derek says.

"Good morning," Izzie and I say at the same time.

"Good morning," George mumbles.

"Do you guys want a cupcake? Izzie made some," I ask.

"Oh, no thanks," Derek says. He walks over to the pantry and grabs a box of cereal for himself instead.

"You're like a health nut aren't you? You eat muesli every morning," George says.

"No I don't," Derek denies while pouring milk into his bowl. After he pours in his cereal of course.

"Okay, the muesli thing, you do. The last seven days, at least," I say.

"See? Even they think it's weird," Meredith says. Derek kisses her on top of her head and then continues to eat his cereal. Meredith smiles and blushes. It's nice to see Meredith happy, but then I look over at George. He frowns slightly. I give him another cupcake underneath the table and then he smiles at me.

We arrive at the hospital on time for once. "Lopez, you're with me today," Derek says. We walk to the ER to examine a patient. "Okay, Mr. Walker. Does that hurt?" Derek asks while punching his leg lightly.

"I can't feel anything until you get up to my thigh," Mr. Walker says with a look of concern on his face.

"Try wiggling your toes," I suggest. Mr. Walker nods but his toes do not move at all.

"Are they moving?" Mr. Walker asks? I frown slightly.

"No," Derek says.

"Damn, I could move them about ten minutes ago," Mr. Walker says while trying to wiggle his toes again.

"Well, your spine x-rays look clear. You fell while rock climbing you said?" Derek asks him.

"In Snohomish. It was just a small drop. I was belayed. My wife and boys are on their way. What's wrong with me anyway?" he asks.

"Hold your legs up," Derek instructs. Derek lifts Mr. Walker's legs. He lets go of them and they immediately drop.

"Should I be scared now?" the patient asks. I just shake my head.