Christmas in New York

1

a/n : merry christmas !! this is my fanfic contribution for this year's holidays, and i did just realize that it's been a year since i started writing benley stories, so yey happy anniv to my stories, and to you, my beautiful readers, who have been with me throughout the year :)) ilysm guys !!

also !!!!! i didn't know what to put on the cover page of the book so i put my own work :)) yes, i did that !! just wanted to mention it cus i've never done something like that before, and im not really an artistic person, so kinda glad i could do it :))

anyway, w/o further ado, here's the story, i hope you like it !

×+×+×+×

"Richard," she started, but her mentor cut her off.

"Mandy," he said as fiercely as the way she looked at him. "You are tired, you are burnt out. It's been a hell of a year for you, but right now, you'd do no good in my hospital. This is not a suggestion, it's an order." He paused, and opened a drawer beneath his desk. He pulled out some papers. "Here. Roundtrip tickets to New York. Enjoy the holidays, Bailey. I expect you no sooner and no later than January 10."

Miranda opened her mouth to protest once more, but Richard only looked down at his paperwork. It was his way of telling her the conversation's over.

She gritted her teeth and stomped out of his office. She had no choice in the matter, so she had to do it. She groaned as she entered the lounge.

Her heart was closed and angry and full of darkness. It was as if someone took all of her light away. She sneered at the papers in her hands.

"Damn it!" She threw the tickets in her locker, and she heard a voice behind her.

"Woah, what did those papers do to you?" Callie laughed behind her. Miranda turned around and glared at her best friend. "Ooh-kay. Sorry. You okay?"

She breathed in and out, trying to calm herself down. "No," she said through clenched teeth. She feared she might break one of her teeth if she kept at it, so she inhaled once again.

Exhaling, she felt her heart slow from its maddening pace. "Richard just told me I had to take a vacation."

Callie nodded. "Well, you do need one. Hell, I need one. Take the leave, it'll be good for you."

Annoyance bubbled up inside Miranda. "You too?"

Her best friend raised her hands in surrender. "Oh, come on, Bailey." She looked at her with unbelieving and concerned eyes. "You lost your baby, you got divorced. It hurt you so badly, I can see it. You threw yourself into work, and it's not healthy, you know that."

Miranda felt tears prick at her eyelids and she closed her eyes. This is exactly the reason why she didn't want to get off work. At least, here, she could forget about what she'd lost. "I don't… I don't want to leave."

"I know, sweetie, I know." Callie stepped forward and embraced her tightly. She started pouring the tears out into Callie's shoulder. "But you have to take care of yourself, okay? You have to. Take the month off."

"But—"

"We've got your patients. And we'll keep the hospital from shattering to pieces while you're gone. Just take care of yourself."

Miranda nodded, sniffling and pulling away from their hug. "Thank you, Torres."

"What are best friends for, huh?"

×+×+×+×

Landing in New York was stressful.

Heavy traffic and snowfall greeted her, and she grimaced at the thought of thousands, maybe even millions of people trying to get to the same city as her. It was the holidays, and she thought maybe she should've gone somewhere else.